Prepared for the Bellingham Yacht Club by Joe & Judy Coons, January 27, 1993
How to Cruise to Alaska (Olympia to Skagway) Without Rocking the Boat Too Much, Walt Woodward, Norwesting, Inc., Second Printing 1989 -- This was the easiest planning tool. Walt must be a chicken: follow his advice and you'll nary see a wave. But he's wrong about Butedale: Skip it!
Charlie's Charts: North to Alaska, Charles E. Wood, Charlie's Charts, Publisher, 1986 -- Charlie's answered a lot of questions along the way. A good addition to Woodward.
Visit Alaska: 1990 Southeastern Alaska Harbor and Boating Facility Directory. $2.50. Order from State of Alaska, Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, Southeast Region Maintenance & Operations, P. O. Box 3-1000, Juneau, AK 99802. -- A great atlas of all Southeast's harbors. We used it constantly!
Boating in Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, by Kim Heacox, booklet, published by the Alaska Natural History Association in Cooperation with the National Park Service. $2.50. -- Order through the ANHA in Anchorage. This is a handy, little guide book.
Sailing Directions, British Columbia Coast (North Portion), Canadian Hydrographic Service, available in Canadian Nautical shops. -- Used only occasionally by us, this was nevertheless a great reference for tight coves and bays, and useful for tidal range and current information.
United States Coast Pilot, Volume 8, Pacific Coast Alaska: Dixon Entrance to Cape Spencer. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Book Shops. -- Also only used occasionally. Useful for tight situations and tidal/current information.
Marine Atlas, Volume I, Olympia to Malcolm Island, 1990 Edition
Marine Atlas, Volume II, Port Hardy to Skagway, 1990 Edition, Published by Bayliss Enterprises, Inc. -- At first, we thought we could get away with just these atlases. Boy, were we wrong! Charts are essential. But these are good trip planning tools.
We wouldn't try the trip without at least all the charts recommended by Woodward, his list is more current than Charlie's Charts'. Or, use the list from the Armchair Sailor Bookshop, (206) 283-0858. (The Armchair Sailor stocks all charts, and will take your credit card order and send you the charts UPS. We found Bellingham shops had nowhere near a full supply.) The good news is: they're very comforting to have along. The bad news: About $750 (or more) for the bunch. Seems like a lot, doesn't it? The peace of mind was really worth it.
If you're like us, you'll want to have your own set of planning charts from Canada #L/C 3001 and L/C 3002 and U.S. 17300, 17320, 17360, and 17420 to keep a record of your route.
Write at once to the "Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Gustavus, AK 99826" and ask them for this year's boating permit application and information. The applications are opened 60 days before the season begins, and from this drawing all permits are given. Give them alternate dates. Hint: We got our applications in early, and we got our choice of dates. You can stay in the Park for up to a week; plan on at least four days to see enough of it! Be sure to follow the instructions they give you regarding check-in, etc. They enforce the regs!
If you're a single parent or grandparent with kids along, bring a notarized letter of permission from the other parent(s) to bring the kid(s) for Canada & U.S. Customs.
Bring a good set of raingear. We were frugal, and in the long run spent as much as if we'd gotten a good set in the first place.
Consider buying one of the new compact video cameras, you'll want to video much of your trip. And bring a lot of film!
Bring warm clothes. Plan to wear layers. Joe has his shirt off about six times on the trip, for maybe a half hour each time. But we had woolies on a lot! By the way, we took too many clothes: You'll wear long johns and jeans a lot, and nobody cares. Downtown in Juneau and Ketchikan we usually wore better jeans! And bring hiking boots for muddy trails.
Bring warm bedding! We had a down comforter and sometimes extra blankets. Perfect!
We bought one of those little folding two-wheeled shopping-bag-carriers in Campbell River, and used it whenever we went to the markets in bigger towns. Saved aching arms...
Have a full set of belts, impellers; all the usual stuff a good, well prepared, boater carries.
A radar is a great idea, but ours was mostly just "for the fun of it". We were in 1/4 mile visibility for about 30 minutes on the whole trip. Lorans are nearly useless from Ketchikan north; if you're getting something to avoid course planning, get a GPS!
Bring fishing gear. Our group caught several BIG halibut in Glacier Bay, and a number of salmon. And definitely bring a good crab pot and a shrimp pot, too, the latter with at least 400' of non-floating line. We have NEVER eaten so much crab as on this trip!
There is lots of water for boats in Alaska, if you are reasonably frugal, and it is better than in B.C./Desolation Sound, for instance. We got a little watermaker and didn't need it.
We never had any trouble getting some kind of moorage in each town and city. The Harbormasters are pros, and expert at utilizing every empty slip. The old adage: If you're gracious to them, they'll be gracious to you. Moorage was cheap. In a few cases, we were moored on breakwaters, etc., but nevertheless we felt accommodated and well treated.
Food was never a problem, nor was fuel. Alaskan prices are not outrageous. You will need 200nm range, at least!
We found Alaskans to be tough, independent, and frontierish; but they were also extremely generous with the time and hospitality. We got to know some wonderful people!
There are three crossings, and one, the Straits of Georgia, is just as likely to be the "worst". Use your VHF and solicit information from the Coast Guard and other boats! You should not have any severe weather if you are reasonably prudent.
When it's clear weather, Alaska is spectacular, and there will be clear weather! Don't let the rainy or blustery days get you down; just imagine what Captain Vancouver and John Muir's exploring was like if you think it's occasionally rough. If you are like us, you'll look back on your cruise as the trip of a lifetime!
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