Tracy Arm

Tracy Arm Glaciers

Tracy Arm is a fjord 60 miles south of Juneau. The fjords are 30 miles long with one fifth under water.  In the summer, ice breaks off (called calving) and ice floats down the fjord from hand held sizes to 4+ story buildings.

We anchored 20 miles from glaciers and then went up and back in one day.  We had overcast, drippy weather and gorgeous deep canyon walls as we transited.  The floating ice is blue and translucent.  We were able to get very close as the pictures show.  It was a thrilling day!

                    

Thank you for reading our newsletters.  We are on our way home this week.  We are leaving our “Jayhawk” here in Alaska to return next summer for more adventures!!!

Jayhawk in the glacier ice at Tracy Arm

What a Summer!

Baranof Island, Alaska >> Warm Springs:

Baranof Island, Alaska – Warm Springs:

We spent four nights at Warm Springs Bay-our favorite anchorage on this trip.  It has natural warm springs pools, mineral springs bathtubs (which Ann loved), mountain lakes (where a canoe was available for our use), hiking, good salmon fishing and a beautiful waterfall.

Warm Springs had everything along with great weather

Hiking near a mountain lake, we canoed in (background)

Baranof Island, Alaska - Red Bluff

Baranof Island, Alaska – Red Bluff:

We have had two beautiful anchorages on this island.  We are very far north so the mountains still have snow and ice.  At Red Bluff Inlet, we were eating dinner on a boat which was stern tied to the shore.  A huge grizzly appeared eating berries about 50’ from the boat. He did not look friendly!!!!   Ann was meat for huge horse flies and had a dozen nasty bites!

Red Bluff-Geared for crabbing & shrimping

Grizzly 50' behind us eating blueberries

Sightings

The Alaska wildlife viewings are plentiful and spectacular!

Black bear off the bow while at anchorage

Eagles soar

Whales are everywhere but you have to be fast with the camera - a fluke

Colonies of sea otters

Prince of Wales Islands & Coves

PRINCE OF WALES ISLANDS AND COVES:

We spent four nights at beautiful anchorages on lower POW (Prince of Wales Island as the locals refer to it).  We had some gorgeous and drippy days and stayed very busy crabbing, fishing, kayaking and socializing.  Mike wound up with a shin splint and had a house call from two docs in our flotilla.  We fished with jigs, candlesticks, hoochies, pixies and spoons.  We caught rockfish, salmon (pinks and cohos), yellow eye and halibut.  Our new crab pot has been a good catcher – nine of them first time out.

Smoking silver salmon for pot luck dinners

heading into Aiken Cover for evening anchorage

Transiting provides for some scenic stops for playing with the waterfalls.  This is a 43’ American Tug – the woman on the bow, Connie, from Montgomery, Alabama (a former Auburn cheerleader) can clean a crab faster than anyone!

Playing with waterfalls