2005 - Prince William Sound

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=60 BGCOLOR="#66CCCC" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04400570ezvthe.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#CCFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Cruising in Kenai Fjords and Prince William Sound, Alaska</B></FONT><B>   |  </B><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cruising in Kenai Fjords and Prince Will"><U><B>Back to Main Cruising Page</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=420 BGCOLOR="#66CCCC" TEXT="#080000"> <div> 2005 - Prince William Sound</div> <div> From mid-June, beginning on our June 16 anniversary in fact, through July 7 Susie and I cruised around Prince William Sound PWS), just the two of us.  We had originally expected Susan and Paul Ahlquist to join us, but their plans changed and we found ourselves, gulp, alone with each other for three weeks.  Of course we got on each others' nerves occasionally - that's what you were thinking, isn't it?  But for the most part we got along great, not that it's any of your business, and we had a wonderful three weeks of exploration, adventure, fishing, cruising, sight-seeing and even, toward the end, a bit if socializing (whew, just in time).</div> <bR> <div> Here is our route:</div> <div> <IMG SRC="105b8830.jpg" border=0 width="952" height="643" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> To give you some idea of the distances involved, the Alaska Marine Highway system lists the Seward to Cordova route at 164 statute miles.  We didn't keep a precise log during this trip but using a charting program we determined that the distance traveled was about 650 miles, which equates to an average of a little more than 4 hours underway each day.  Three days we didn't travel at all.</div> <bR> <div> If you have looked at some of the other cruising pages, you know the daily routine.  We were in no hurry and as often as not didn't make up our mind about exactly where we were headed until the morning, sometimes after we were underway.</div> <bR> <div> This trip was a significant extension of our range of travel.  Previously we had not traveled much further east than Knight Island, nor further north than Port Nellie Juan (both are shown on the map).  As you can see, in this trip we pretty much circumnavigated PWS.</div> <bR> <div> Here is a brief summary of our itinerary:</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="969" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 1</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 WIDTH="860"><div> Make the crossing from Seward to Fox Farm Anchorage on Elrington Island</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 2</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999><NOBR><div> Travel the sheltered backside of Montague to the head of Rocky Bay, stopping at Port Chalmers for lunch</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 3</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999><NOBR><div> Cross the Hitchinbrook entrance, continuing down Orca Inlet to our anchorage in Hole-in-the-Wall</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 4</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 WIDTH="860"><div> Pull into Cordova harbor, side tie in transient, plenty of room</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 5</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 WIDTH="860"><div> Relax in Cordova, fill water tank</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 6</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999><NOBR><div> Rent a car and drive out to Childs Glacier and the Million Dollar bridge.  Depart Cordova and travel to Sheep Bay</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 7</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999><NOBR><div> Sheep Bay to Port Gravina, stopping at Comfort Cove for a hike.  Overnight Beartrap Bay</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 8</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999><NOBR><div> Cruise from Beartrap Bay in Port Gravina to Emerald Cove in Heather Bay, near Columbia Bay</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 9</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999><NOBR><div> Cruise the impenetrable Columbia Glacier icepack, continue to the head of Cedar Bay</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 10</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 WIDTH="860"><div> Hike to a nearby ridge top, second night in Cedar Bay</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 11</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999><NOBR><div> Leave our sanctuary in Cedar Bay, cruise to Unakwik Inlet, anchor for the night in the Cow Pens area</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 12</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999><NOBR><div> Continue to Meares Glacier at the head of Unakwik, then travel to one of the northwest bights in Schoppe Bay</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 13</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999><NOBR><div> Proceed around the corner to transit Esther Passage, cross Port Wells into Harriman Fjord, overnight Serpentine Cove</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 51 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 14</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 WIDTH="860"><div> To the head of Harriman Fjord to see the glacier, back to Barry Arm for the 3 glaciers there, down Port Wells to overnight in west bight of Culross Passage</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 51 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 15</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 WIDTH="860"><div> Continue down Culross to Port Nellie Juan, explore one mile into Kings Bay, return to Greystone Bay for lunch, overnight East Finger Inlet</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 16</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 WIDTH="860"><div> Explore McClure Bay and Blue Fjord, overnight Little Mink Island</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 17</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 WIDTH="860"><div> Little Mink Island to Ewan Bay, stopping for lunch at Main Bay...a full day</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 18</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 WIDTH="860"><div> Ewan Bay to Whale Bay, joining <I>Friendship</I> and <I>Nashira</I> </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 19</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 WIDTH="860"><div> Whale Bay, July 4th</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 51 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 20</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 WIDTH="860"><div> Lead the way into Nassau Fjord to view Chenega Glacier, part company and continue to Iktua Bay in Prince of Wales Passage</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 21</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 WIDTH="860"><div> Iktua Bay to a consistent favorite, Auk Bay</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="90"><div> Day 22</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#669999 WIDTH="860"><div> Auk Bay back to our home port of Seward, return to Anchorage</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> This trip involved a lot of "firsts" for us, none of which are exactly earthshaking but they do mean something at the time.  For one thing, before this trip we had never been on the boat for more than 7 or 8 nights.  We had never traveled so far from Seward.  We had never really proved that we could go 16 days without refilling our 250 gallon fresh water tank, and even do a load of wash to boot.  We had never seen salmon sharks, and we saw plenty this trip in Port Gravina.  We had never been to Cordova or seen the Copper River delta, etc.  We had never seen an oil tanker and had never seen the volumes of ice presented by Columbia Glacier.  Most of all, we had never spent 22 days together in such a confined space.  All in all, quite a science project.</div> <bR> <div> We have a few trip highlights to mention, but first here are some of the more interesting (we think so anyway) photos from the trip:</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id68.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Traveling towards Ro"><U>GO TO PHOTOS</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>