Prince William Sound and Glacier Bay Sea Kayaking Trip – The Waltons

August 1, 2005

Sitting in the tent in serious rain near Seward, Alaska. It has rained most of the day.

Several problems have arisen with the Black Diamond Lighthouse test. It is very good for

the original intention - a solo tent intended to be used in conjunction with a tarp. One

corner has a small leak, but that is nearly fixed with GE silicone II. However it is not

large enough for two people in this type of rain unless one has a larger tarp than the

Heptawing. The Heptawing only partially covers the tent itself unless one sacrifices the

front porch; and this tent is not sufficiently waterproof to survive the continuous Alaska

rain without putting it fully under a tarp.

This Miller's Landing campground really sucks. There is no good drainage and the soil

has low permeability leading to water running under the tent. Fortunately the tent floor is

impervious so far. I believe things will be much better when camping on the beach in a

better location with no water running underneath and no puddle in front. Played around a

bit with different tarp locations, but the net result is that I need a larger tarp to make it

bombproof. Ordered a Granite Gear White Lightning through Rory and we will see if she

can bring it. The BD Lighthouse would probably be fine for a solo tent in the rain as then

one can stay in the middle of the tent and avoid the walls which tend to weep but not

grossly leak in the continuous rain. If things get worse we can cover the tent with the

second Heptawing imitation tarp in shingle fashion. Initially the Heptawing knockoff

June and I made was leaking along the seams but that seems mostly fixed.

Typing with the Dell Axim X50v and the Bluetooth keyboard from Think Outside

is working very well. One can get a paragraph and a half on the screen, probably more

with a smaller font. The screen quality would support a smaller font than the 10 point

default. Just switched to 8 point and it is a little small but readable even without stronger

reading glasses. The front porch awning is nice with the Heptawing knockoff, except that,

in this "campground" there is a puddle out front. That won't be a problem in the future. In

the absence of bugs, we should be able to keep the front door open for views.

Today Claire and Elaine took a boat tour to Kenai Fjords National Park; saw

humpback whales, Puffins, a brown bear. Tomorrow Claire goes on a fishing trip,

hopefully she will catch something.

The Big Agnes sleeping pad is good so far but is best for sleeping and not as good

for hanging around camp. May keep the Z-rest Elsa has for the next trip. Just turned on

the music while typing, very nice. It looks, so far, like the PDA was a good idea, certainly

much better than a computer given the power limitations. Perhaps I will try drawing

tonight; hydraulics problems in the rain seems like a good one.

Solar charging is going to be problematic until it stops raining all the time, if it

ever does. The new USB connector from Hong Kong is outstanding and will charge with

Alkaline AA batteries. I may buy a stockpile of them for the next trip. Reading is pretty

good on the Axim. Avoids the need for a headlamp after dark. It is important to set the

screen dim timeout to 30 seconds or more to get through a page using the smallest fonts.

Went kayaking today. Rented a double for Otter and Elsa while paddling the

Feathercraft Kahuna myself. The boat is fine so far, but there were no real waves to test

things out. The water is quite cold upon immersing the hands beneath.

Just noticed a drip from the other corner of the tent. The problem seems to be at

the first (lowest) velcro fastener for the rear half of the tent poles, although, since the

front ones are covered by the wing, certainty is awaits. The 8 point font is working well

and gives two small paragraphs of text. Currently the screen is in portrait, landscape

awaits!

Time to sign off for today.

August 2, 2005

Claire went on a fishing cruise this afternoon from one until six PM; caught a salmon and

ate it for lunch. Set up the tent with two Heptawings this morning and it works

wonderfully. Finally I'm rainproof in this awful campground. As expected, this tent is

great once you put a rainfly over it. There is room for a six foot awning or thereabouts

when we get to a camp with no puddle outside the front door.

Rain has continued off and on all day and we are starting to get used to it. Not bad

at all when you can go inside to dry out; what will it be like when there is no dry cabin or

car?

The keyboard is now tied to the PDA with a secure setting and automatically connects

when you start typing as long as Bluetooth is turned on. Very nice piece of equipment in

all. Typing and listening to music. Must switch flash cards to listen to the one that must

be reformatted for pictures first.

Elsa and I kayaked separately for short distances today to continue getting in

shape. Tomorrow we will go to Homer on a driving day trip.

August 8, 2005

This is the second morning out. The first day, August 6, we paddled to Decision Point

and stayed at the state park at Squirrel Cove. Very nice wooden platforms in the woods

with bear box and outhouse. Several salmon were trapped in the small stream.

Presumably they entered at high tide or perhaps during a rain storm. We left about noon

and made it to a nice camp in a small cove just short of Pirate Cove. We stopped at the

state park a mile or two before this but it was not a nice place to camp. Today will be our

third day of paddling and we hope to make it about eight miles up the bay. We are

heading for Harriman Fjord with the big glaciers.

Arthur and Elsa are doing well in the big double kayak. Most of the food is going in the

large double. Weather so far has been perfect, no rain. Bugs are present but not bad &

present no problems, even for Arthur. Hopefully this good weather will last.

It is now evening and we are camped at the end of a spit at the mouth of Hobo

Bay. Arthur paddled across the bay to Hobo Creek to get fresh water as the nearby water

was a tannin colored pool. He said many salmon were at the mouth of the creek but two

boats there caught nothing. This is a popular pickup and dropoff point for kayakers. Two

groups were picked up at six this evening. We arrived in camp around two PM. The view

is nice from both sides of the spit. For supper we had spaghetti, mac and cheese, and left

over lentil soup. The weather is still gorgeous; partly cloudy and warm but not hot.

Tomorrow we may make it into Harriman Fjord and finally see some icebergs. We want

to camp near the calving ice if possible in a standard campground. A family for four from

Mexico was picked up here in two doubles. So far the trip has been great, but no rain

really helps. We'll see what happens when it rains for a week. USB and battery charging

of the abomination are working well. Outdoor Navigator works reasonably well for

kayaking as long as the power is left on all the time. The PDA, with the extended battery

goes for a very long time between charges; turned up the brightness and lengthened the

auto turnoff to keep it visible in daylight and running; save power with a 30 second dim

and the power saving clock rate.

Chuck and I paddled across Hobo Bay to the inlet stream to go fishing. Entering

first I came upon four river otters. Two large, one medium, and a baby. Watched them for

a long time as they hid behind boulders then then came out to look. Finally an adult

helped the baby climb up the rocks by pulling on the fur like a cat. We left them in peace

and went further out to fish. Caught one tiny minnow and saw a big school of salmon

swimming around; but no success there. As many as six sea otters were off of camp out

in the main channel in the evening. Elsa set out her home made shrimp pot by throwing it

out just before dark. She has been working on this pot for two days using sticks and some

fishing net found along the shore. She has great hopes for a catch tonight. Baited it with

pieces of a dead humpback salmon found along the shore.

August 9, 2005

Chuck started fishing for salmon off the end of the spit/point near camp. The fish were

biting. I caught four large steelhead and we ate one for lunch, excellent. One of the gold

colored Panther-Martin spinners worked best.

Elsa went for a paddle in Hobo Bay and saw seals. Later Elsa and I padded the

double to the stream and looked at salmon. Snagged one in the tail accidentally when

fishing in the stream and managed to land the monster after a long struggle. These fish

are large for ultralight gear and six pound test line.

The food seems to disappear faster today, perhaps everyone is getting hungry. A

pound and a half per person per day should be enough but not a lot of food. It appears

kayaking burns less than hiking - don't use the bug muscle groups. Elsa stored the fish for

eating in her trap. Last night it produced nothing but I'm sure she will try again tonight.

We stayed over a day in camp because of the excellent fishing and because Chuck

was tired. We plan to move up into the glaciers tomorrow.

Watched a duck go after a school of minnows near camp. The minnows appeared

to go into a ball shape. Soon a flock of gulls came to feast. While the duck dived for

minnows in the water, the gulls dive bombed with great success. The tide is coming up

and will soon approach a tarp guy line. The tent is pitched with a tarp awning.

August 12, 2005

The past two nights we camped at Notch campsite. The location is on a point overlooking

Surprise Glacier (3.4 miles distant and Harriman Glacier (more than six miles away). The

views were outstanding but the site was wet and buggy. Mostly some type of biting flies

with poor response to deet. Elsa picked a tent spot on a cliff above the ocean with views

of both glaciers. Surprise Glacier calved often and sounded like a coming thunderstorm

or a freight train just starting up with car couplings clanking loudly. We were too far

away to see the calving.

On the paddle into Barry Arm we crossed a shallow moraine with no problems; just past

the moraine we hit our first tide rip, albeit a minor one. The wind was coming from up

the arm and the tide was coming into the arm resulting in steep waves. They were only

less than a foot high but we experienced the phenomenon for the first time. After

reaching Harriman Fjord, where there is a left turn we came upon an eddy line and

change of water color; causing some consternation but no problems.

The Oystercatchers, four of them, hung out on a point of rocks b elow where we

cooked. We stayed two nights there, the first after a long paddle from Hobo Cove. On the

layover day we paddled over to examine Surprise Glacier. Arthur and Chuck took the

singles and came right back. Elsa and I took the double an additional thirteen miles or so

round trip up to Harriman Glacier. We got much closer to Harriman. There were caves in

the ice and water, a river, coming out of the glacier. Probably it will not be tidewater

much longer as gravel is visible along much of the bottom and the river appears to be

flowing on land beneath the ice. We stopped to take a break and walk on the snout of the

south flank of the glacier. A boat, the Discovery was nearby with kayakers. It appears to

be on of those adventure cruise types.

Today we paddled across and down the Fjord to Hinge campsite, very pretty on a

point with views of Coxe and Barry Glaciers. The calving is not as loud as Surprise

Glacier but produces more ice. The currents are interesting. As the tide rises the flow

goes along the deep channel toward Barry and then moves the ice out of Barry Arm and

into Harriman Fjord. This likely is caused by a buried moraine at the mouth of Harriman

Fjord. We are camped at the North end of this buried terminal moraine.

Few bugs at this site - what a relief! Weather is perfect, not a cloud in the sky;

how much longer can this last? Water is limited to pools of brown water, perfectly

acceptable, but not aesthetically pleasing.

The neck gasket on my drysuit failed when I took it off. We cut the gasket down

by one ring and Elsa taped it up with 3M clear duct tape. This is poor timing; although

new the gasket material seems to be a bad batch as the stuff we cut off tore very easily,

way too easily. This is an important safety issue, particularly when I get to Glacier Bay,

we will have to make the best of it and take the risks as they come.

August 13, 2005

We went over to look at the Coxe Campsite and see if was available. Turns out there was

no one there last night. Both Elsa and Otter wanted to stay. Small ice floes covered the

beach and we had to weave the kayaks through the ice. They drip in the sun and we use

them to fill our cups and water container.

The site is wonderful with a distant view of Harriman Glacier. Nearby we watch

calving from Cascade, Barry, and Coxe Glaciers. One of them caused some small waves

breaking on the beach. It’s interesting to go walking among the ice floes stranded on the

beach by the tide. I'm been waiting a very long time to see this sight. Arthur is busy

taking pictures. All of us took spit baths and washed clothes in the frigid stream water

coming off the glacier.

Paddling over here we went along the West side of the Arm and then crossed in

front of the glaciers, weaving our way through all the ice in the channel. The Feathercraft

seems to take the ice well so far, it just flexes.

The glacial silt seems to settle rapidly from the water leaving a couple inches of

clear water above a silty layer below. I can't think of a more spectacular campsite than

this. Once again the weather is perfect and there are no bugs; at least not yet.

August 18, 2005

Have not taken the chance to record for several days now. We left Harriman Fjord

through Barry Arm after camping below Coxe Glacier. In the morning we were in the

shade with temperatures around forty degrees. The arm was chocked with ice floes which

had calved off Cascade and (mostly) Barry Glacier during the previous evening and

night. We paddled through the ice with the red plastic kayak leading the way with Elsa at

the helm. This was a very nice experience.

A buoy in Barry Arm showed the current to be rapid going with us and we made

good time. The kids had been aroused early to ensure we had the tide with us. We

camped back at the same place at Hobo Cove and once again the fishing was excellent

and the views nice.

The next day we moved down bay and camped in Pirate Cove. The stream had

"thousands" of salmon spawning in it, mostly silvers. Chuck had a great time catching

fish out of the boiling mass of fish until his rod broke.

The next day, the sixteenth, we went all the way to the Emerald Island campsite inside

Passage Canal as bad weather was predicted. Clouds had come in but rain waited until

morning. As we paddled into Whittier on the seventeenth the east wind picked up causing

some waves near Whittier. This made for some exciting kayaking until we reached port.

It would be nice to get some practice in this type of water in order to better understand

the limits of the kayaks.

We stayed in the Anchor Inn, the workingman's place, for a reasonable price and

immediately spread out all the gear to dry. All the neoprene stuff really stinks. A major

task will be to dry it out on the boat.

Presently I am riding on the Kennecott towards Juneau and the next adventure.

Chuck is in Anchorage and will leave tomorrow. Otter and Elsa are hopefully on the

plane back to El Paso.

Tomorrow when I wake we will be elsewhere and seeing something new. Perhaps

the stench in my little berth will have subsided by then; or maybe I will be acclimated to

it.

August 21, 2005

Came into Juneau last night and stayed in Bergamont? Hotel. Don't recommend it.

Should have stayed in the Hostel. The young kids on the boat stayed there and said it was

excellent.

Saw the youngsters downtown and had beer with them at a bar then stumbled

back to the hotel to sleep. Next morning got up and went to Auke Bay via a taxi. Stopped

at a Fred Meyer near the airport and purchased some stove fuel.

Glacier Bay Express Ferry was excellent with an excellent crew. Saw a number of

Humpback Whales especially near Point Adolphus. The park has wheelbarrows to take

gear to and from the campground. The outside phone has free local calls. Why can't other

parks be set up as well? Met Rob who has kayaked extensively this summer.

Rory arrived on time and brought the new tarp. It is even nicer than I had hoped,

complete with guy lines and a self storage bag. It is the White Lightning by Granite Gear

ten by twelve feet.

Tomorrow we should be able to head out into the Beardsley Islands. Rob showed

us some locations where Humpback Whales were present in great numbers a few days

ago. We plan to camp near there tomorrow.

Glacier Bay Sea Kayaks has been wonderfully helpful with us. Highly recommended.

August 23, 2005

It is now after dark and Rory is sleeping. The sun sets around eight thirty. Basically south

eastern Alaska should be on Pacific time but is not. It gets light pretty early in the

morning to compensate.

Yesterday was hectic. First I got up and called the Post Office to see if my food

had arrived. It did and took three weeks from El Paso to get here. After much confusion

we got it set up where Rory and I would take a double and then they will bring my boat

and food out to Blue Mouse Cove on September fifth when Rory is picked up.

After getting the logistics worked out I had to build my Feathercraft Kahuna. It all

went smoothly; in fact I've never done as well before. I'm just slower at learning this stuff

than most. The portion I've always had trouble with was really slick when I did it right.

Although I watched the movie and read directions I just did not understand how to fit the

large cross braces correctly. After that we rushed to pack everything and fit it all in the

Expedition Beluga double which has too little storage space, especially for the bear proof

food bins.

The Bartlett Cove park facility is wonderful. Someone really thought this one

through. Wheel barrows are available to transport your gear from boat or car to the

campground. They provide free bear food canisters. The phone does free local calls.

There is a place to store your extra stuff. Wow.

We started off in a rush and the rudder pedals came off. Very difficult to control a

loaded double without the rudder. After we stopped to fix it all was OK. In order to fit

everything we had to paddle with bags around us and a large food container between my

legs.

We had heard from Rob, a guy who had just come in, that Humpback Whales

were near Beardsley Opening and Strawberry Island. We took a left turn after going

through the passageway north of Bartlett Cove and proceeded onward. We chose an

island to camp on but when we got close I checked the map and it was a closed area. We

headed to the next island to the west which turned out to be the easternmost point on

Strawberry Island. A truly great location with much wildlife. Oystercatchers, other birds I

cannot identify, dolphins, and we think sea lions, and otters. The currrent was very strong

as we came into the point. This is a full moon and the tide amplitude was peaking. The

double ate up all the turbulence coming into the point. We only had one glimpse of a

Humpback however.

The next day we packed to leave at low tide around ten thirty. We made it but had

to stop and fix the rudder again. A food canister had come loose and prevented the pedals

from moving. We then proceeded north along the edge of the Islands and then went just

to the east of, we thing, flapjack island. There was a large shallow area as the tide had

been very low and we barely snuck through. From there it was a magnetic north bearing

to our destination campground near a stream. We made it a bit past there and spied a

humpback in the cove. The instant decision was to camp on the point at the end of the

peninsula. Excellent choice. The initial bugs quickly cleared up. The only problem was

this Humpback which kept cruising around the point as close as fifty yards from our tent.

Even now after dark I can hear it. Many birds also fly past this point. Rory made a fire

and we had a nice supper. The bad weather predicted for today, rain and wind, never

materialized. Couldn't get much better than this.

Tomorrow, weather permitting, we will go up into Muir Inlet. We are near the

mouth right now and will be fine unless there is a strong northwest wind, the only

direction with large fetch. Rory is anxious to see the glaciers. She will soon get her wish.

We should get to McBride Glacier in two more days of paddling.

The new tarp is great; although we have had not had rain on it yet. It fully covers

the tent with a large awning and goes up easily. Has a place to put my paddle for front

support and the tent makes a rear support.

August 26, 2005

Today we are taking a rest day at McBride inlet. McBride Glacier calves into the

inlet and from there they go into the East Arm. It is cloudy, cold, and rains about half of

the time. Very little wind. Form the inside of the tent we can view the ice packed lagoon.

We chose our campsite based upon where we could land the kayak between the ice bergs.

Had pancakes for breakfast. Presently Rory is sleeping. She is tired from three hard days

in a row. The Beluga Expedition double is a fat and slow boat. The only thing good about

it is that is seems very stable. The three feet or so waves we have seen so far have never

really troubled us.

Yesterday we camped on a small beach to the north of Adams Inlet. One of those

cute isolated places with little room to walk about. It rained hard almost all the time.We

thought for awhile that we would have to layover there as the waves kept building in the

morning. However they backed off and we packed up. Just at launch time they came back

but never gave us problems. Waves, tailwind, and tide propelled us up towards McBride

Inlet. The beach was totally covered with clam shells.

The twenty fourth we paddled from Strawberry Island out to a point between

sandy and Spokane coves. We stopped when we saw a humpback in Spokane cove. We

watched the whale all evening and it was even around in the morning when Rory saw it

jump out of the water. We paddled north past Muir point past Adams Inlet. Some nice

waves tossed us around a bit but got better as we headed north behind some islands.

We are paddling in the drysuits in rainy weather and they really help. One hardly

notices when it starts raining. One can wade into the water to launch the boat and get into

the Alder to tie up the tarps without getting wet. In terms of the PDA, so far I have not

had to get into the reserve battery supply but today used the rechargeables for the first

time. The Iowa Solar AA charger thinks it is working right now under the tarp in the rain

based upon the flashing LEDs.

Pretty soon I will stir Rory out of the tent to paddle close to the calving ice face.

Well, its done now and we saw a great one. An entire large column of ice fell off. The

waves were about five feet. Like the Barry Glacier, they were very long wavelength and

thus like swells unless you are near shore or a large iceberg. The swells kept coming at s

and getting larger at something like a quarter to half a mile from the ice face. The waves

crashed against the near vertical rock walls and then reflected and refracted off them

leading to a successively more complex but smaller series of waves from all directions.

The commotion was still active fifteen minutes after the calving event. Saw a lot of seals

hauled out onto the ice. Their movements are funny and awkward out of the water.

Tomorrow we plan to move on to Riggs Glacier. It is raining all the time, we're

just getting acclimated and act like it has stopped when it slows to a drizzle. One gets a

very cozy feeling under the tent under the tarp during the rain. Hopefully we will see the

sun and dry things out sometime.

August 27, 2005

Today we got up early in order to get out of McBride Lagoon at high slack tide. Upon

exiting the tent around five thirty I saw the half moon peak out from the clouds. Turned

out to be a mostly cloudy day with maybe five or ten percent clear skies. The breeze was

very drying and we managed to dry out our gear especially my stinky neoprene boots and

the formerly stinky socks I had hand washed with little hope of them ever drying. Great

weather, nice and cool but not too cold, probably in the fifties mostly.

We paddled to Riggs Glacier and viewed it from the kayak. The camping area

didn't look that exciting to us and Rory suggested paddline further up the inlet to find a

camping spot. Excellent suggestion! We paddled until we passed an idyllic point we both

liked. We both seem to like to camp on little used points and at very small camping spots.

The tent is on a shelf we believe will be safe at high tide (currently low amplitude neap

tides) but all our beach disappears with the tide. Rory is currently keeping watch to make

sure the high tide at eight thirty PM doesn't inundate the tent or separate tarp shelter. We

will soon know.

Muir inlet is gorgeous and very different. Because of the recent retreat of Muir

Glacier the vegitation is still coming back. Near our camp the rocks are covered with

green moss and lichen. From a distance this mountain looks like a desert mountain such

as the Franklins. The other side of the inlet is more green and lush for unknown reasons.

This is our best campsite yet and we have had some very nice ones. Tomorrow we

will paddle to see Muir Glacier and then either move camp down bay or stay here another

night. Neither of us enjoy the task of breaking camp, loading kayak, unloading, and

making camp. It will be easier when I get into my own kayak and get rid of extra food

canisters so that there is space enough to make packing easy.

For future trips the best strategy is probably to be taken out by boat with all your

food, make a stash of food containers, and periodically come back to resupply. At the end

get picked up so that you never have to transport all the food containers at once. A related

option is to get more compact food.

August 30, 2005

Yesterday we stayed at our point near Muir Glacier and it was sunny all day. In the

morning we set out for a quick day trip to the glacier, about three miles away. Although

the waves had seemed small from camp, despite the whitecaps, they turned out to be

larger than anticipated. We had thought the small fetch would limit the size but that

turned out to be wrong. We stopped on shore and put on the dry suits. When we went

back out the wind had picked up even more and there were whitecaps with three feet

waves. Although the double kayak was very stable we thought it best to go back to camp

and wait. After a couple hours lazing around camp the wind retreated and we set off

again. As we rounded the final bend and had the glacier in sight a katabatic wind began

and it was a lot of work to get to land. There is a large gently sloping deposit coming our

from the glacier and at low tide it was difficult to pull the kayak up to a safe location. We

managed to walk it up the steam and then walked closer to the glacier. We were both

paranoid the kayak would be blown out to sea and we would be stranded. When you have

only one kayak it is best to keep the beacon on one's person.

Muir glacier has retreated tremendously over the years. One of our electronic maps

showed the glacier right at our campsite, now some three miles away.

The next day we paddled something like sixteen miles to Hunter Cove and had a

nice camp there. The fall colors are really coming on now and will only get better. After

our day of pure sunshine it was raining again by morning and has rained off and on ever

since. It is now eleven AM on the thirtieth and we have not decided if we will be lazy and

stay in camp or move on to our next destination today. We both like a pattern of camping

in the same location for two days and then paddling hard. Minimized the drudge work of

breaking camp, setting up camp, loading and unloading the kayak. This is a great spot

with views and birds. Haven't tried the fishing yet but will if we decide to stay until

tomorrow. The beach in front is too shallow but there is a rocky cliff a few hundred yards

away and there might be a fishing spot there.

We are right across from where we saw the brown bear coming in. It came down

to the stream, caught and ate one fish, then moved on as we watched from the kayak. The

bears must be pretty satisfied this time of year as there is plenty to eat, as long as you like

salmon.

September 3, 2005

We went from Hunters Cove to Sebree Island and camped on the shouth eastern portion

of the island. A small cove and peninsula made a very nice sheltered camping location

with NOAA weather access. Next day we headed up the eastern shore of the west arm

toward Tidal Inlet. Many cliffs along the shore with some sheltered spots. We were

fighting head winds and some waves all day and I got very tired. We stopped at a very

nice cove a couple of miles short of Tidal Inlet and just across from Blue Mouse Cove.

The following day, September 2 we crossed the bay to Blue Mouse Cove and then headed

into Hugh Miller Inlet to a nice campsite. The wind was coming strong down the bay

throughout the entire crossing and the three foot waves started white capping. Too late to

change and the waves were directly down the bay so we just kept quartering the waves to

be stable and eventually reached the middle of the island south of Blue Mouse Cove. We

went along the eastern shore of the island up to the cove and dropped off three of the food

containers. Great to get rid of that shit so we can finally fit in the kayak without junk all

over. A couple from the Netherlands was giving up early after two days out in the rain. Ir

finally stopped raining on the second and we had a great evening in camp including the

rum we had found in Hunters Cove. Some group had accidentally forgotten their booze

dry bag.

Today we went to Carpentier Inlet to check it out. Caught a fish in the stream to eat.

Many waterfalls. Now we are back in camp, the same camp and Rory is taking a nap.

She was very tired today.

September 5, 2005

Well I've made it through my first time alone. The day had an inauspicious beginning.

Rory and I packed up and headed around the island for the pickup location at Blue Mouse

Cove. The way we came in is only open at high tide and the tide was now fairly low.

Unfortunately neither of us bothered to study the map. It turns out our alternative route is

also only open at high tide. Rather than paddle further we portaged the kayak over the

divide. OK except for some deep mud. It was raining hard all day.

At the pickup we set up the tarp at a location where I could sort gear and load my kayak

then float it off at high tide. Well, we missed the spot and I had a mess. First they picked

Rory up late so it was later in the tide. Then we forgot to load the extra bear bin, leaving

me with a more complex task. I tried to move the tarp to higher ground but failed and had

a mess on my hands trying to move gear from the water and keep the tarp up. Finally

gave up and sorted out in the hard rain. What a mess. Stashed some food in the woods in

the extra bear container and threw a little extra gear on top of the kayak. I like avoid this

because when it gets rough out the on deck stuff destabilizes the kayak. Waves hit it and

increase the turning moment, it raises the center of gravity, and increases frontal area

when going into a head wind.

After our messy portage I was skeptical of the northern passage out of Skidmore bay and

did not want to wait another day to get through. The boat crew said the seas were small

out in the main bay so I took that route along about five miles of steep cliffy shore. There

were few spots to pull out but mostly the waves were OK. Got a big scare from the waves

caused by a large cruise boat in combination with increased wind and waves going

around a point. Again I wasn't patient. Upon seeing the very large cruise ship I worked

hard to get into a little sort of cove with rocks rather than cliffs for shore to avoid the

chaotic rebound reflection, refraction waves one gets from cliffs. The wind had picked up

and we already had two to three feet active waves.

Well, I decided that the cruise ship waves must have come through and were nothing and

proceeded around the next, very cliffy point with greater waves and wind exposure. Just

at the wrong time I saw big whitecaps and the wave size increased; decided to turn

around and pull out at the very nominal beach I had just passed. Well, I turned back in

time to have the really big waves breaking behind me, much more difficult than facing

them. Once I reached safety the waves were gone and eventually I went back around the

point. The lesson is that I should have waited patiently in the safe location until I was

sure the cruise ship waves had passed given how difficult the conditions were without

them.

Eventually came to a small cove with a minimal beach to make camp. Went to the far end

where it seemed higher even if rocky. This is the new moon tide tonight so one has to get

pretty high and the sandy gravel beaches were very small and not all that high. Excellent

for a neap tide but not tonight. The problem with the site I chose, I discovered too late, is

that it has very very shallow groundwater; about a centimeter or less. Basically I'm

camped on a large seep which is active when it rains this hard. Too late to move now but

I changed the tent and tarp location to make the best of it. With only one in the tent a

perfect spot is no longer necessary.

Sure miss Rory. She's really great to be with and camping is much easier with two to split

the work. I was exhausted by setting up camp and just finished eating at dark. Stayed in

the drysuit until the end. The hard rain continues into the night. Trying the fist candle in

the tent as a warmer with a campfire ambiance. It seems to really warm and dry the tent

as I hoped, at least that's the preliminary reading. Unfortunately I only have about six of

them, enough for an occasional treat.

Tomorrow the goal is Reid Glacier and inlet, assuming the wind will cooperate. If not I'll

stay here and work. The kayaking should be easier as the shoreline is more mellow and

allow me to pull out if conditions get rough on the water. Tonight it was against the tide

and the wind as I worked my way along the shoreline. We will see about tomorrow. This

is not a campsite or tarp pitching to write home about, but the tent is currently dry and

comfortable. Much gear got a little wet during the kayak loading. Hopefully the rain will

let off some time during the next sixteen days so things can dry, but it is rainy season in a

rainy place.

September 6, 2005

As rough as yesterday was, today has been that good. Got up at 5:30 with minimal light

and cooked breakfast while packing. Managed to get off at 8:15 AM. Most everything fit

inside the kayak. Just before leaving saw a sea lion close to camp swimming bye. Frist

time I've seen one so well. Just as the map said, the kayaking was around one small and

one large point before reaching the low area where Scidmore Bay has a northern entrance

at high tide. Many good camping areas here. The ranger says the route through goes at

tide greater than 14.5, Bartlett Cove charts. That looks about right. The next miles had

headlands mixed with coves. Most of the coves offered protection and many had

excellent camping spots. Pulled into Reid Inlet at 10:30; excellent time for a nine mile

paddle considering much of the paddling was against the wind and tide. The early start

was intended to minimize the winds and waves that scared me yesterday. At first it

seemed the wind was rising but it transformed into a gentle rain with pretty much flat

water. Paddling in those conditions is really pleasant, no anxiety about taking a spill

along side a cliff; the wildlife and scenery are great. The fall colors which started when

Rory and I arrived are about to peak. Paddling towards the glaciers the vegetation is early

succession and has more fall colors than the mature forest.

Upon entering the Reid Lagoon it was still low tide; instead of hauling the gear up a huge

low tide beach I paddled the two miles or so each way to the ice face. It is no longer

tidewater at low tide, only high tide; allowing one to approach very close. I went about

200 yards from the ice, as close as the water went but saw no reason to get out of the

kayak for a closer look. Only the western section is calving. Now the tide has peaked and

the glacier has calved several times. I doubt this one will be tidewater much longer.

The camping spot is excellent, large, and apparently well used, but in great shape. Pitched

the cooking tarp near the estimated high water point and this time got it right, although I

was worried about having to move it again when the tide peaked about 4:15 PM.

Tomorrow its on to Lamplugh Glacier assuming the wind and waves are OK. What

happens after that depends upon the waves and wind. I'm not excited about trying

something too bold with a late season solo trip with a leaky drysuit. I would rather go

back to the sheltered Beardslee Islands and spend more time working on my book.

I'm in the tent early and plan to go to sleep early as well. The early starts make a lot of

sense for solo travel as one has a lot more leeway if something goes awry.

The cruise ships seem to come in here about nine or so in the morning then go on a

counterclockwise tour of Tarr and Johns Hopkins Inlets.

September 7, 2005

Great day until just after supper at six. I'm at the North side of Johns Hopkins Inlet,

brown bear country. Saw the firs one just after crossing from the kayak. It ran after seeing

me in the kayak, excellent sign. Went further into the inlet to view the glacier and look

for camping sites. The one furthest in had no views so I camp back to one across from

Lamluaugh Glacier. Excellent views of Johns Hopkins and Lamplaugh as well as

mountains across the way.

This morning left from Reid Inlet at seven fifty in the morning, a time I will beat

tomorrow. Lamplaugh is nice but the camping was around the bend with no view so I

crossed to the other side. Was concerned about a cruise ship coming around the bend

from Tarr Inlet at the wrong time so had the radio ready to make sure they knew I was

there. At the same time the ship had just entered Tarr Inlet and that should take more than

an hour before getting to Johns Hopkins. Just as planned it came around the point about a

half hour after I was safely across. Again the water was smooth and glassy, really

wonderful, and the views here are outstanding. The nearby mountains have some new

snow on them and fall colors are here.

I liked this campsite because it is bound in on two sides by cliffs, so brown bears should

not be cruising the shore as much. Especially I liked the cliff near my tent. As I was

finishing up the Mountain House a big brown bear came rambling along the supposedly

impregnable cliff. I waved the paddle float while walking toward him and it responded by

heading up at first but then it just basically ignored me. Then it moved in the direction of

the tent so I approached again and blew the whistle, while holding bear spray in each

hand. Fortunately the wind was not blowing much. It went behind the tent into the bushes

on the slope, hopefully to go around my camp. Sat on a rock to watch and pretty soon

saw him grazing in the bushes near me and the food location. Not sure if he wanted in

food in the bear canisters or just wandered out there. Anyway I blew the whistle again

and moved very slowly toward him. He rambled along the beach in the direction he was

going initially but did not hurry at all. Certainly wasn't scared. His pants are clean.

The initial plan was to spend two nights here and take a day trip into Johns Hopkins Inlet

tomorrow. That has been scratched; assuming I last the night I will head out as soon as

possible in the morning sans breakfast and probably try for Tarr Inlet. There is a very

nice campsite location there across from a glacier. It depends on the bear and the weather.

If there is wind and waves I will cross over the way I came and try to make the campsite

just short of Lamplaugh. We will have to see what happens. Hopefully I will get some

sleep tonight but I'm not optimistic. Not sure how nocturnal brown bears are; it would

make sense that they are most active during the day, but I don't really know and am

always most concerned when I can't see.

September 8, 2005

Got up early, no breakfast, no coffee, all in a rush packed up and was off by 6:50. Saw no

more of my friend the big brown bear fortunately. Paddled toward Tarr Inlet. Everything

was calm that early; a clear day following a clear cold night. The high mountains all have

fresh snow on them. During the night Johns Hopkins glacier kept calving, especially as

the tide was rising. You would hear this crack, sometimes eventually followed by a

greatly delayed splashing of waves. Understand that the campsite was about seven miles

from the glacier, so those started out as big waves.

Entered Tarr Inlet on the West side, a continuation of where I had been.

Continuous cliffs as far as I went, no place to land for safety. I wasn't sure what would

happen and did not want to camp along the brown bear track again; so I began the

crossing just past the mouth, watching out for cruise ships coming in. Got about two

thirds across and started to get glassy waves on the glassy surface; really strange, you

can't properly see and react to them. They were either related to calving or left over from

a previous wind, I thing the latter. Suddenly the Katabatic wind began to blow off the

glacier some eight miles away. Quickly the waves picked up and I furiously paddled for

shore while quartering the waves. Eventually shore was reached. The Feathercraft

Kahuna seems to be very stable in the waves and shows no signs of flipping over;

however I don't think kayaks give much warning, so I'm not sure how much margin I

really had. The neck gasket on the drysuit is a tatters now and would leak like a sieve.

Upon reaching the safe looking shore it turned out to be large rocks; better than a cliff as

I could land there in an emergency. Kept paddling up the shore trying to make a good

looking, more sheltered area ahead. Eventually it turned to all large waves and whitecaps

everywhere; too much even for a pseudo safe shoreline. In desperation I saw about

twenty feet of sand to land on and took it. Just leaned over towards the sand for each new

wave while getting out of the kayak. It worked, didn't even get wet.

Sat around on the shore and ate a late and very much needed breakfast and hot Gautam's

tea while sheltering behind a rock from the wind. Checked the place out and there were

some small potential tent sites tucked into the willows; someone had the same problem a

few years ago perhaps. For one person in a tent one does not need a prefect site. As the

wind had not abated I decided to camp. The wind continued to blow until about two or

three in the afternoon but by then camp was all set up and I didn't want to break and set it

twice in a day; after all the load, unload, take down and set up are the big chores.

Being ensconced on the shore that does not have seasonal closures for bears (the previous

night's site is closed from June through August and I can see why) I felt very secure

reading under the tarp. That is until two brown bears meandered into camp coming along

the shore. These bears must not be as astute as people indicate because I saw them first

despite their superior sense of smell. Of course they were coming from upwind. I shouted

and stood on a rock to look tall and they scampered up the hill out of sight. Unlike the

large one yesterday, I didn't see them peeking at me out of the nearby bushes a few

minutes later. Amazing how quiet these large creatures are, even in the brush. These two

are probably two years old or so, only about 500 or so pounds apiece. At least they had

some fear of me, unlike the one last night. I'm much less scared this time. I'll leave early

in the morning but will probably eat first. Tomorrow I will peak around the next bend at

the glacier and then head to Russell Island to camp. From there, weather permitting, I can

cross over and retrace my path back to Blue Mouse Cove; or maybe I will stay on this

side. After getting socked three times, once today, once with Rory, and leaving Blue

Mouse Cove the fires time into wind and waves I'm a but spooked with big crossings and

long cliffy areas.

The glacial views are great here, especially on a rare clear day with fresh snow

high up. However at this point I prefer the greater wildlife lower down in the bay and am

not at all excited about chasing brown bears out of my camp each day. I'm anxious to get

safely into the Beardlee Islands and do my work. Got everything charged up today and

now have tons of extra batteries so there's no real chance of running out of power.

September 9, 2005

This morning started early again; packing the kayak is getting much easier. The high tide

is also moving into the early morning hours so one doesn’t have to carry gear so far. The

bears didn't come back, or at least I didn't see them if they did.

Paddled up Tarr Inlet on another perfect day. The wind never came up at all

today. Only about a five mile or so paddle so this counts as the needed day of rest. Really

got a workout yesterday trying to make the shore and a camp in the wind and waves. An

intense workout of a couple hours is more taxing than easy paddling all day. Decided to

go ahead and camp at the head of Tarr Inlet across from Margerie Glacier and at the

snout of Grand Pacific Glacier. Grand Pacific is very dark and rocky; doesn't calve much.

From a distance it looks like a superhighway into the mountains, wonderful view.

Margerie Glacier is the big tourist attraction; pretty white and blue; lots of seracs; calves

often; and winds up to Mount Fairweather. On this clear day I believe I'm seeing

Fairweather all covered with fresh snow. The glacier splits and winds to the tops of

several peaks. It is spectacular. So far I haven't had any company in camp but its only

four PM, just about time for my large brown friends to come greeting. I wear my

necklace of pepper spray everywhere. At least I don't feel completely naked with it.

Tomorrow begins the long meandering journey back towards Bartlett Cove. My biggest

concerns are wind, waves, and large boat waves on the major crossings and along the

extensive cliff bands where there is no place to get out. If I can get four days out of the

next twelve to be as calm as today all will be easy. I'm sure there will be plenty of

surprises along the way like yesterday's Katabatic wind coming out of nowhere during a

major crossing.

This trip really was a great idea and has worked very well so far, assuming either the

water or bears don't get me. There are essentially no more kayakers left in the park except

me. The shuttle and rental services are closed for the winter.

The behavior of the cruise boats around the glacier face is interesting. They allow

two huge cruise ships and one or more moderate sized ones to come in each day. The first

big boat today got very close to the face of Margerie Glacier, showing that the calving

face is over twice as high as the boat. The second one never got nearly as close.

Interesting what difference a captain makes. They come in front of the glacier and hang

out for about twenty minutes or so while making announcements about it. I can hear them

speaking but can't quite make it out from here.

Mt Fairweather now has a cloud on top, the clouds are returning and I would bet

on rain by morning. What I wouldn't have bet on was two full days withoug rain and

much sunshine. Everything is now dry and the dry out will have lasting effects for several

days of rain if one is careful. Tomorrow should be an easy load as high tide will be just

an hour or so before I get off. Plan to go to Russell Island and then see from there. That's

nine miles to this side of it where there is a campsite for sure May try going around the

southern end to prepare for a possible crossing the next day. If tomorrow is like today, in

terms of being calm, I will go ahead and cross over tomorrow evening. Better to be tired

and have it done with. One is very exposed in the main channel down there as the wind

and waves tend to channel down there.

September 10, 2005

Made it about fourteen miles to the southeast tip of Russell Island. I kind of assumed I

was there when I reached the northwest end of the island but going around was long and

took some time. A major question was the availability of camping sites on the portion of

the island I wanted. The map said it was not too steep, but these large contour intervals

can hide a lot. Anyway there was a very nice looking camping site in a tiny cove just to

the north of the island tip and a pretty good site right on the tip. I debated it and decided I

most wanted to be able to watch the open water crossing to see what was happening with

it and thus picked the site on the point. Unloading at low tide is a pain, made worse by a

poor beach and being tired; even with the current neap tide. A walk along the site showed

a lot of large animal activity, although I didn't notice the very large bear scat very near

my tent until much after it was set up. The trails leading into the hillside are most

certainly from brown bears; never seen anything near that large from a black bear. Filled

with red berries, a cracked up knee joint, a finger; no just berries. At this point I'm way

too tired to get worried about the bears.

Camp is set up nicely with a view over the crossing to Ibach Point. This is the

next major hurdle in the trip and I will try it tomorrow, even with wind and waves unless

there are whitecaps. Worked on the failed neck gasket for the drysuit in an effort to make

it tight enough to get at least a partial neck seal again. This time only put on one layer of

tape to keep it more flexible. Hopefully I'll never find out how it works!

It has definitely gotten colder, and its not just the proximity of the glaciers. Today

I paddled with two full layers on both top and bottom and was comfortable. It is now too

cold to sit under the tarp and enjoy coffee, food, and a stogie. The drysuit is still the best

raingear going it is actually more comfortable when it rains because you can then plan on

the temperature being fairly constant; not like sun going in and out of clouds.

Last night had all my clothes on inside the sleeping bag and stayed quite warm;

however there is no more margin left. Always feel better when there is something else

that can be used if needed.

Blue Mouse Cove is about eighteen miles from here assuming a reasonable route

along the coast. If the winds are low I will try to make it all the way tomorrow while

riding the high tide down the bay. The winds seem to mostly blow down bay from the

top; making my return potentially much faster but not as safe. The easiest thing with a

kayak is to face the wind; going downwind is exciting but potentially dangerous for a

novice like me.

It began raining today about eight or so in the morning and it has continued. At

this point handling the rain is easy; the only limitation is the visibility. About half the

time I can't even make out the distant shore about two miles away. If I were alone that

would be no problem as a compass would cure the problem; the issue is the large cruise

ships using the same channel. Tomorrow I will a) leave early to try to beat them, b) put

the headlamp in fash mode and fix it to the kayak, and c) put the radio on my lap to allow

me to call them. I tried to call one passing today but it did not answer; although I only

tried once.

May the berries on Russell Island be plentiful!

September 11, 2005

Well, it was another great day! Got up early to make the crossing from Russell Island to

Ibach Point. Really its a pretty short crossing but I was worried after my recent

experience with Katabatic Winds coming out of nowhere. Also I was worried about

cruise ships if visibility was poor again. Thought it best to get the crossing done before

any arrived.

The sky was mostly clear and there was little wind. During the crossing the wind

kept threatening to rise up, but it never did. The whole day went the same way, about

50% or more blue skies and very little wind. As was the plan, I went all the way to Blue

Mouse Cove, some eighteen miles. Arrived about eleven AM, making great time. Picked

up the food and fishing gear previously cashed at the drop point and lashed it onto the top

of the kayak, then paddled near the stream in Blue Mouse Cove and camped on a point

nearby. Watched a black bear near the stream for some time. He/she seems to have a den

near the stream location. I yelled and the bear went into the woods; that's what I like to

see. Given the high usage of this area in the summer, this bear is unlikely to be a

problem. If it had raided a camp before, the area would be closed for camping, and it is

not.

Have some new ideas for getting more below deck in the kayak. Deflate the

sponsons prior to loading then re-inflate them. That should give a critical inch or two of

give in some key locations when sliding things in. Re-inflation should then lock much of

the stuff in place. Not sure why I didn't think of this before.

My arms are very sore and tired. I really wanted to put in even more miles today;

its hard to stop at eleven in the morning; even when you get on the water about six thirty,

just before sunrise. However it would likely have led to injury or becoming weak the next

day. Tomorrow I would like to make the northern end of Geikie Inlet where it looks like

there should be camping spots. The south side looks cliffy for awhile and may not have

pull out spots. Will soon check that on the electronic map with more detail. Two ten mile

days should put me within striking range of the bay crossing. I would like to make that

ASAP as the tides are now rapidly rising in amplitude each day. It all depends upon the

weather; hopefully more of the same.

The wildlife is great in the cove. Just prior to entering thousands of ducks were

arrayed all across the bay; must be one or two square miles of thick ducks. Perhaps they

are getting ready to migrate. They make a racket when you have to paddle through them.

The cove has loons and many other birds I can't identify; plus is has apparently (we'll

know tomorrow morning) timid black bears as opposed to the bore grizzly of a few days

ago.

Basically a perfect day; spent the rest of the day setting up camp and watching the

scenery and wildlife. It is now seven PM and still very light although the sun has gone

behind the mountain. The main thing is that there was a sun! I'm getting pretty lonely and

feel quite exposed now that I appear to be the only kayaker in at least this arm of the park

if not the entire park. The ranger said I'd probably have the park to myself now and that

seems to be true except for the ##$%## cruise boats with their bit waves and the fear they

will run you down during a crossing. Having no one else around really makes one feel

exposed and vulnerable.

Currently the water across the arm is like glass; sure wish I could make the

crossing now; but its twenty miles or so away from here.

September 12, 2005

Looking out the tent at 5:30 AM the seas were calm. The kayak got loaded quickly but

with less rush than in the past few days; fewer miles to go today and much of it near

shore. The goal was to make it about eleven miles to the north side of Geikie Inlet. That

would allow getting in striking distance of the bay crossing the following day. Upon

arriving at Geikie the seas were still calm. I was hesitant to head for the southern shore as

there is a long cliffy section on that side and a ways after that. However its important to

strike when conditions are right. All day I worked on a longer distance paddling stroke. I

tend to go too hard and then tire out. On a bicycle I can pace myself and go indefinitely;

not so with paddling. Its more difficult to judge because the paddling is never aerobic.

The revised stroke has a slower cadence and less power applied. Since the effort per mile

goes with the square of the velocity, a low power stroke and patience will take one farther

prior to tiring and/or having the joints complain. This is especially true when going with

the tide, albeit a very small tide.

With the seas calm and a gently swirling wind we kept on going until past noon

and arrived about one mile north of Finger Bay, making for a twenty mile day. The last

three days have been about fourteen, eighteen and now twenty miles. The left shoulder is

now hurting again, it had hurt in August and then all the joint problems cleared up; the

last three days were just too much. Tomorrow, if it goes, will be about eleven miles but

that will be the last hard day. This is an excellent jumping off point for a bay crossing. I

will cross tomorrow if conditions are good. The weather deteriorated this afternoon with

fog and some wind. The crossing can't be done without visibility because of the large

cruise ships. They are too fast for me to get out of the way.

If the crossing won't go I'll try to move camp out to Willoughby Island which is as

far as one can go without making the crossing. If this fog doesn't lift even that won't be

possible. At best this is a one night spot as the site is too low to take a full tide and the

tide is now growing. Storms and wind are coming so hopefully I can make the crossing in

the next two days; otherwise I'm in trouble. We will see tomorrow. Passed a bald eagle

on a perch about every mile or so today, but no humpbacks in Widbey Passage. The

water is now clear and the forest is mature. The change in the forest over the past three

days has been dramatic. From shrubs only to a more mature rain forest.

The drysuit now has three rips in the neck gasket and cannot be repaired anymore.

I will just have to not tip over. Currently its cold and rainy but very cozy in the tent,

assuming this evening's tide doesn't wash me out. If conditions are poor tomorrow I may

hike along the shore to look for a higher camping area.

September 13, 2005

Woke up several times early and peeked out to look at the conditions. Breaking waves

could be heard on the shore much of the night. At six it was too foggy to be a go, except

perhaps to Whilloughby Island which could be done on a compass bearing. Rolled over

and went back to sleep. About seven thirty visibility was sufficient to at least see the

other side. Packed up and listened to weather from NOAA and the park service. This is

the first day in awhile when I was close enough to headquarters to obtain radio reception.

Report was for west wind twenty mph in the morning and fifteen in the afternoon. I

decided to go for it if possible and packed up. Left at nine AM, high tide was at ten-thirty

now so, assuming an hour to make Willoughby Island, most of the crossing would be

during high slack. Waves were two to three feet, mostly down bay, parallel to my

direction. At this point I am comfortable paddling in those conditions and it is rare to

have no waves in the center of the bay.

I had tried fixing the dry suit gasket last night and thought I had it. Put it on and

the fourth rip opened on the neck gasket. The crude backup was to take my neck warmer

and tighten it with a velcro strap around my neck; trying to turn it into a slow leaker

rather than a gusher. If the drysuit is needed I'm in trouble anyway. Tried calling Bartlett

Cove on the radio to check reception - none. I'm all alone on this one.

At Willoughby Island north side (nice camping spots here it looks like) conditions

were the same and I decided to go for it. A big cruise ship was just passing so I headed

behind it and no more were in sight. Waves and wind seemed to change throughout the

crossing but mostly the waves were heading south to southeast and I was headed north of

Flapjack Island, east southeast. For awhile at the end I had a good tail wind. It never got

rough and I was pretty relaxed the entire time. Passed the shoals on the north end of

Flapjack and was officially across. Was thinking how to celebrate: the whiskey is almost

gone, stogies running low, but wait there's an unopened vacuum pack of one of my

favorite coffees; that will do. Even better a friend came bye in the form of a big

humpback whale, much better than the vices. Camped very near where I had panned on

the map; a point at the north end of the Beardslees near the high tide passage into the

islands. The sky cleared up and it was actually shorts and t-shirt weather as long as one

stayed in the sunshine. Got out of that hot drysuit ASAP and brewed up some full

strength coffee, the heck with saving the supply, this is a celebration. I am now back to

where the weather is of little concern; at least in terms of kayaking. The humpback has

appeared on and off out in Beartrack Cove. With the mostly clear skies the view to the

north is outstanding and its great looking out there knowing that the circuit has been

completed; with many unexplored side bays for future trips.

Plan to stay over for a day tomorrow although part of me just wants to keep

moving. Hard to stay put when by oneself. Definitely one feels all alone during the

crossings and bear encounters. Will make plans for a trip through the Beardlee Islands

next. There are two major bays I want to see. One issue will be water. Given the really

great weather this past week: raining one third of the time, cloudy one third of the time,

and partly cloudy one third, many of the standard water seeps have dried up. The

Beardslees are small islands without major streams. Will have to plan to stop on the

mainland at a stream to pick up more water.

September 14, 2005

This was a day for recovery. Its very hard to stay put when alone as one gets bored and

wants to be out paddling; however the sore shoulders don't agree. Spent most of the day

reading mystery short stories, watching the humpback whales, and watching a black bear

and cub graze around the camp area. The weather was perfect, mostly clear and cool,

probably in the fifties all day. Finally I have retired to my tent with a view to read in

sheltered comfort. The views from this point and the wildlife are just outstanding.

The tentative goal for tomorrow is Kidney Island in Hutchins Bay. From that

point I'm not sure. Without some greater goal its tempting to just head back to Bartlett

Cove and come home early. I love this area but am lonely and itching for a change of

pace after all the kayak camping I have done. Perhaps I will take a day trip from Kidney

Island, but my basic policy is not to do day trips when alone; better to have all the gear

with you in case something happens, but that is too much work given the time to break

and set up camp, especially when alone. The weather is supposed to be nice again

tomorrow and then get nasty for the weekend. Perhaps I"ll go in for the bad weather, but I

prefer the camping spots out here to Bartlett Cove as I have views from the tent here and

am very comfortable camping in the rain. We shall see what happens.

September 15, 2005

Waited for close to high tide to make it through the northern passageway into the

Beardlees. Actually I got impatient and pushed the loaded kayak over a few rocks to

launch as I had loaded it up a little too high on the bank. My lack of patience cost dearly.

Turns out I put a small hole in the bottom. With the sea sock one doesn't notice this but

when I unloaded the kayak there was water in it and there never has been significant

water in it before. There was perhaps a half gallon or so of water in the bottom. Put on a

temporary fix to the very small hole with aquaseal and that should hold for now. Have

decided there will only be one more day of paddling as a bunch of bad weather is coming.

At this point I'm not enthused about sitting out in my tent in the rain by myself; given that

I really really stink. One can wash the body but the clothes are the problem and there is

no way to dry them once washed with the rainy weather. Tentatively I will stay over an

extra day here and paddle in Saturday morning in the middle of the predicted rain. It is

predicted to rain and blow pretty much for the next week starting tomorrow evening.

Well, it was supposed to start tomorrow evening, turns out its raining right now.

Camped on the eastern most portion of Kidney Island. Went to a stream to

refresh the water supplies then out here. Took a walk here and found two springs near

camp so the water really wasn't needed, but who knew. Its been a really great trip but its

time for a shower and moving on to something else. If the lodge were still open I'd drop

in, take a shower, wash the clothes, then go back out. But they are closed and nothing is

available at Bartlett Cove anymore except the campground. At least with the shelter and

wood stove the clothes can be hand washed and then dried near the stove.

September 18, 2005

Packed up early and came back to Bartlett Cove yesterday morning. The opening back

was closed until high tide. I knew that but still couldn't get myself to sleep in. The river

normally runs to the north into the Beardlees but a passage out to the cove opens at high

tide. Paddled and pulled upstream to the upper opening and waited there for the tide to

rise. There were anemones in the channel and it continued to drain from a pool higher up.

Eventually the channel opened and I was fairly surprised. The thinking was that the

coming tide would be an inch or so higher on the upstream, Bartlett Cove side as it has to

pass through the narrows to make it there. Thought that would require an inch or so of

head difference; instead there was six inches or more of head difference and the water

came rushing through like a roaring river. Managed to paddle upstream through it with a

lot of effort and staying in the backwaters. At the dock were a bunch of fishing boats;

they open it up to others in the off season.

Camped at Bartlett Cove and it rained as expected. Left the next morning on a

Cessna to Juneau. Calling Expedia there was an issue because Expedia had given me a

paper ticket and could not change it but the airlines said that, because I got an internet

price, they could only change their part; meaning one must rebook the thing when

arriving in Seattle and repeat bringing the baggage through security and pay the extra

weight fee again. Decided to try the hostel and it is very nice, but one must be gone from

nine AM until five PM and that will be a pain. Its nice to be around a bunch of interesting

people; much nicer as well as cheaper than a hotel.

September 19, 2005

Sitting in Juneau Library. Took bus out to the airport this morning and changed flight to

six AM tomorrow to Seattle but am unsure what will happen from there. Must retrieve

the luggage from baggage and then go try to change the America West paper ticket,

assuming there is enough time. Very likely I won't make it back to El Paso.

Went to the local Alaskan Brewery and was fed much free beer; then went to the

museum. Now sitting at the library checking email. Will stay at the hostel again tonight

then head out very early tomorrow.