INDEPENDENCE CHRONICLES

America's Great Loop and Beyond

Chronicles the voyages, big and small, of Larry and Jamie McCullough aboard their 59 foot Nordhavn, Coastal Pilot dubbed INDEPENDENCE. Upcoming trips to the Bahamas, The Great Loop and more. Much more as it turned out, but you can read about that in the ‘Log’.

With the first Independence sold, you think we might take a breath. But no, not Larry! We are now experiencing a first for both of us. Building a new boat with the manufacturer. Life Proof Boats “Built for Adventure/Safety/Life”. That’s the tag line on their web site http://www.lifeproofboats.com

We hope you will join us in the process and the adventure…

  • Log
  • About
  • Images

Our route around Revillagigedo Island

Around Revillagigedo, AK (218NM)

July 24, 2026 by Jamie McCullough

With the Starboard engine now working we head out on our week delayed trip around Revillagigedo (ru-VIL-uh-gi-GAY-doh) island (named by Captain George Vancouver in 1793 after a Count who was the Viceroy of New Spain, now Mexico). We feel fortunate to start out on a nice day that turns slightly cloudy as we enter Misty Fjords National Monument (what do you expect?) and then turns breathtakingly gorgeous for the rest of the first day and the remainder of our trip around the island.

Yahoo! Back at it. We had to wait an extra week, but look at this amazing weather.

Off the East side of the Behm Canal at Rudyerd Bay, Misty Fjords

Harbor Seals waiting for the salmon to swim upstream

Heading back down Rudyerd Bay

Back up Behm Canal to Walker Cove where we tie up to a buoy for the night

This little Grizzly (they call them Brown Bears here) was digging for shellfish on the beach. We had the best time watching him, through our binoculars, feeding and then taking a dip in the water to cool off.

A little kayak ride to shore to fly the drone (pics to come at a later date)

What a glorious place to spend the evening

Happy boaters

Didn’t catch anything but who cares!

The quiet was only disturbed by a rock slide…the rumble and echoing around the valley was amazing. This is the newly exposed rock face.

Larry took this picture in Walker Cove, Misty Fjords the following morning

Heading out of Walker Cove back to the Behm Canal

With all the inflows of fresh water from different sources the color of the Behm Canal continually changes.

After checking out the northernmost area of Burroughs Bay, we head through Behm Narrows and South down the West side of the island to Traitors Cove. This seaplane dock at Margaret Bay also has overnight moorage, so we stayed here for the night.

We take a hike to Margaret Creek Wildlife Observation Site in the Tongass National Forest. No bears to be seen from their odd platform but we know, for obvious reasons (lower right), that they are around.

Sunset at Margaret Bay, our last night in Misty Fjords

Back in Ketchikan. The Salmon have started to come up the creek.

Of course, they have yet one more challenge before spawning…making it past the fly fisherman

These ships are getting bigger and bigger and more crazy. This one has a ball on a massive davit that lifts you above the ship, as if you are not already hovering far above the tiny town of Ketchikan.

Goodbye cruise ships! We will not miss you - hulking beasts, belching tourists.

Bye Ketchikan!!!

July 24, 2026 /Jamie McCullough
  • Newer
  • Older

Powered by Squarespace