Ketchikan to Glacier Bay, AK - via Wrangell, Petersburg & Juneau (561NM)

We are very happy to report that we successfully made the journey to Glacier Bay! A life-long dream come true…to travel to Glacier Bay National Park aboard our own boat. This journey was made even more memorable, as we were joined by our friends from the Bay Area, Michelle and Paul Mourani. They met us in Ketchikan and we had a great time being their water-taxi to Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau and Glacier Bay. They brought us fabulous weather, which made our time on the water with them very enjoyable. Hopefully, the images below will help tell the story of our time together…

Paul and Michelle walking up the boardwalk to the Eagle’s Nest at Cape Fox Lodge, Ketchikan

Creek Street boardwalk

A beer with a view from the Eagle’s Nest

Looking down on Creek Street Ketchikan

Ketchikan Creek…no salmon yet

It may be second growth (all of Ketchikan has been logged) but it is still very dramatic

Rhonda Green’s sculpture on the Ketchikan Schoenbar Trail, titled “Yaakw Haash át wulihaash a d’ein Óoxjaa/Canoe Drifting in the Wind”

Corey (and Lexus) at the Totem Bar introduce us to a new black cherry brand for MIchelle’s Old Fashions

Paul makin’ friends in Ketchikan

Stan Honeys’ dog, Scout, finds a nice spot to curl up while we have cocktails on the back deck of Independence II

Wrangell, AK

An aerial view of Wrangell gives you an idea of the effect of the Glacier melt on the surrounding waters

Kadashan Totem Poles in Totem Park

Walkin’ the streets of Wrangell

Iggy of Wrangell, AK

The everlasting sunsets of Wrangell

The sun, still trying to set

Petersburg, AK

Winding through The Narrows on our way towards Petersburg

Exiting The Narrows, back up to speed

Petersburg (on our starboard side) will have to wait…

…until we see the LeConte Glacier and its’icebergs

The Captain inspecting an iceberg at close range

The view from a Life Proof cabin is spectacular with all of it’s skylights

The LeConte Glacier (according to Google) is the southernmost tidewater glacier (meaning it’s terminus meets the sea) in North America. It flows from the Stikine Icefield into LeConte Bay and is approximately 21 miles long and 1 mile wide.

Iceberg hunters

Time for business

All the necessary tools

Perfect LeConte glacial cocktails…(secret ingredients; a dash of ancient bacteria and a splash of heavy metals)

The sun trying to set over Petersburg North Harbor

Juneau, AK

Aurora Harbor in Juneau has beautiful new docks that still smell of fresh pressure treated lumber…however they only have one toilet and one shower for the thousands of boats they have at their harbor(s).

Mendenhall Glacier, a short cab ride from the harbor

Robert Mills a Tlingit artist created this 20 foot aluminum sculpture titled Yaadachoon and represents a Tlingit canoe along the seawalk at Overstreet Park

The Totem Pole Trail on the Juneau waterfront will eventually have 30 totem poles all carved from red cedar trees

Tahku, the Alaska Whale Sculpture of a life-scale bronze Humpback Whale breaching, commemorates the 50th anniversary of Alaska Statehood 1959 - 2009. Sculptor & Designer R.T. Wallen

The monsters are still out there. It seems like 3 at all times in Juneau harbor.

Bittersweet…such a nice time at The Juneau Yacht Club with Commodore Chris Roust and his wife Gail (and granddaughter Ada) but having lost our very good friend Wyman Harris that day was heartbreaking. We made sure to dedicate this SFYC flag in his name and in his honor, as we do not know two people more in love with Alaska then Gay and Wyman Harris, who spent 11 summers cruising these waterways. Thank you Michelle for arranging such a memorable night at JYC.

The Juneau Yacht Club was so fabulous we had to get their burgee to fly on our boat. Commodore Chris Roust let me know that bears on Admiralty Island (across the river) share DNA with polar bears…justifying their mascot!

Glacier Bay National Park, AK

Hard to believe this clear day would become so foggy that we had to activate our fog horn and use our radar to get into Bartlett Cove, Glacier Bay

The happy Captain and crew made it to Glacier Bay!!!

We sadly part from Paul and Michelle, as they will stay at the lodge while we anchor out for the next few nights. They have an all day excursion on the Bearnoff Winds boat tour tomorrow and then fly home.

Yes, my obligatory totem picture

We complete our mandatory 3 hour orientation (for private boaters) in just an hour. Yipee! Now we are free to enjoy our park.

The first day in the park was lovely weather after the fog. We anchored at Berg Bay later in the afternoon and the the wind picked up in the evening and rain set in for our second day

Our first night at anchor in Berg Bay

Second day arrives a bit moody on Glacier Bay. Heading up the Tarr Inlet.

Dramatic icebergs that have been around awhile and show their wear

Margerie Glacier at Tarr Inlet

Glacier Bay may feel remote but you are never really alone

A poor quality photo (too far for my little cellphone camera) of the bears that joined us for happy hour, munching seafood from the shoreline

Larry BBQs Ahi at our second anchorage in North Sandy Cove…good thing those bears where a long way off

Our third day is amazing as we have better weather and spend hours taking photos of the wild life around South Marble Island. I will be posting better photos im the future from our telephoto lense but for now here are a few of the Steller sea lions (largest of the eared seals - males can weigh over 2,500 pounds) and some Puffins.

Time to check out of Glacier Bay - we radio in our departure on KWM20 as we exit Icy Strait