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Ford's Terror
by Mary Fox
From our anchorage in Tracy
Arm Cove, we left to explore Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier
at its end before returning to Ford’s Terror to
await slack water. Basing our transit of the "rapids"
in Ford’s Terror on the 3:02 P.M. Juneau tide, we
arrived early, anchored near the waterfall outside the
entrance, and watched the water rip around the rocks as
it headed around the corner and into the rapids area.
Here, slack water was about 40-45 minutes after high water
in Juneau.
With binoculars, I could
watch the rapids slow down and eventually flatten out
as the white water subsided. Aligning the thin waterfall
with our stern, we headed for the “flat” rapids.
It was quite a thrill for us as this has been a long-held
dream of ours. Six years ago we explored Alaska in our
27’ Sea Ray but didn't have the cruising range to
enter Ford’s Terror and Tracy Arm.
Gliding past Forevergreen
Nook, we headed for the West Arm Anchorage and anchored
in front of the waterfall in 22' of water. Since the Douglass’
book, Exploring Southeast Alaska, says there is a drop
off, I was somewhat concerned about the 22-foot depth,
thinking we might be over the shoal. My husband, Al, thought
we were okay.
Once the boat was secured,
we launched our dinghy and explored Forevergreen Nook
on a falling tide. We scooted past the shallow spit as
we hugged the south wall. We slowly motored past cascading
waterfalls up to the head of the nook where there is another
cascading waterfall and a good size stream. As we cut
between two grassy knolls, a raven swooped down over our
heads, screeching at us and making dive bomb attacks until
it finally flew away, confident it had scared off the
intruders.
Returning to our boat,
we were dismayed to clearly see the bottom off the stern!
Though the depth sounder showed plenty of water, we had
swung back over the shoal and the aft part of the keel
was hitting bottom. I started the engine as Al headed
forward to begin pulling in the chain anchor rode.
I put the engine in ‘forward,’
but the boat wouldn’t move as we are sitting on
the mud. "More power," Al screamed. Slowly,
I added more power fearing the boat would burst apart.
Nothing. "MORE POWER," Al screamed again! Finally,
I gave it the last thrust and I could feel the transom
fishtailing off the mud. With a slight scrape, Hannah
Jane was floating once again and we pulled in the rest
of the anchor. This time we set the anchor in about 70'
of water!
It is hard to adequately
describe the beauty of Ford’s Terror with its majestic
soaring granite mountains, waterfalls cascading everywhere,
and such stillness. Because of the remoteness and isolation,
few people come. We were the only people in all of Ford's
Terror for two days. It was like having Yosemite National
Park in California all to ourselves!
Editor's Note (May 2005):
We've received reports, in the past year, that mini-cruise
ships have been anchoring in the outer section of the
bay and ferrying their passengers into Ford's Terror by
tender, leaving little space for the smaller private cruising
boats. Be aware that, in high season, you may find wall-to-wall
boats.
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