Alaska trip Day 32 Ketchikan, Alaska

6/16/11

Ketchikan, AK

Miles Travelled:  69

(Tor Reporting)

This morning started FAR too early, but it ended up being a good thing.  The boys woke up just after 0230 and were not able to be convinced to return to slumber.  There was a good deal of crying, diaper changes and eventually breast feeding before getting them back into their sea berths and asleep. 

Normally this type of start to a day would be, well - disastrous.  Today, we both decided to look on the bright side: Even at 0300 there was enough light to safely navigate, the weather was DEAD calm, the seas mirror smooth (allowing deadheads and debris to be seen from over 1/2 mile!) and we had close to 70 miles to travel if we were to legally check into American waters without touching american soil before the customs check in at Ketchikan harbor (Note: this is a tricky requirement for most small sailboats with an average speed of a fast walker).  I helped get the boys diapered up and fed and then fired up the engine (without the alarm buzzer activated) and proceeded to raise the anchor and get underway.

Dixon Entrance has a well earned reputation for being difficult to cross.  It is between 15-20 miles across depending on where you leave Canada heading north and is directly open to the North Pacific on the west and the  large tidal ranges and river outflows on the east.  Most folks spend the night before crossing at the very north end of Dundas Island in Canada.  This tactic allows for a very well protected anchorage right on the edge of Dixon entrance providing the shortest straight line distance across.  

Leaving Prince Rupert in the early afternoon we did not have nearly enough time for our family to make the 50 miles to Dundas (explaining why we chose to get as far north as we could before the boys bedtime and anchor in Pearl Harbour).  Normally, our direction of travel would be called the "smooth water route" continued by following the mainland coast north to Portland Canal and then heading west along the coast line to avoid actually crossing Dixon entrance.  Given our very calm weather forecast we opted to head diagonally across the open water of Dixon entrance and head straight for Ketchikan.

We lucked out and motored the entire trip in glass smooth seas and very minimal swell.  Of course it would have been fabulous to have gotten the predicted 10 knot winds from the SE and had a downwind run, but we are not looking our gift horse in the mouth!  

Overall the day went great.  The weather remained good and Jess was able to take a very long spell at the helm to get a well deserved break from down below.  The boys napped well and we arrived at the dock in Ketchikan at about 2 pm.  The customs agent came down to our vessel and cheerfully checked us in within a few minutes and we eagerly greeted Bill and Lynn right at the dock at and started our 2-3 days of much awaited family time.  

Glass smooth Dixon Entrance, sweet!

Jess says:  I'm so happy nobody is sea sick!

Welcome to Ketchikan, cruise ships abound