Gustavus to Sitka Waypoints

Put together a .kmz file with waypoints from my paddle from Gustavus to Sitka.  These are mostly campsites, but a few other points of interest as well.  Available here.

August 11-13: Brent's Beach to Sitka, then back to Juneau

It's always a little anticlimactic to end a beautiful trip, and this trip, at the end of such a varied, beautiful summer, was no exception.

Concerns about incoming stormy weather got us on the water relatively early, and our paddle to Starrigavan Bay, on the North end of the Sitka road system, was uneventful.  We planned to stay at the Starrigavan USFS campground, which is pretty and well maintained, with sites right on the water.  It's also a very short paddle to the ferry terminal, though the campground is a little rustic, with no showers or other services.

The campground gets cellular reception (actually, we also had reception the night before, at Brent's Beach), so it was easy to call a taxi for a ride into town.  We stopped at the local laundromat for showers, which put us within easy walking distance of downtown Sitka, with pizza and ice cream, and very good Mexican food, among other treats.  It was good to be eating pie at the Sitka airport when the wind started to blow.

I was a little heartsick to learn that I had mis-remembered the ferry schedule, and as a result wound up missing an afternoon ferry on the 11th, which would have gotten us home that same day.  The result was an couple of unnecessary nights in Sitka; always a lovely place to spend time, though I was itching to be home after all summer away.  Mostly to kill time, we took a short paddle into Katlian Bay on the 12th, then more Mexican food.

Made it home to Juneau on the 13th, after a 10 hour ride on the M/V Matanuska.  An infrequently used boatyard next to the Sitka ferry terminal has twice now been a landing spot at the end of trips like these--easier to paddle from the campground to the ferry terminal then carry gear for a half mile on the road, so we risked the chance that we might be trespassing.  Pancakes and greasy bacon on the ferry, then a nap in the solarium.

It was good to be home.

August 10: Leo Anchorage to Brent's Beach

With weather forecasts still predicting strong Southerlies for the afternoon of the 11th, we were happy to be near the end of our outside coast stretch.  I was a little sad to give up on my hope of a trip extension around the outside of Kruzof Island, and although Jason and Christian would rather the trip was longer overall, I think we were all pretty happy to have experienced such exceptional weather on such a beautiful stretch of coastline.

Tame scenery and hats near Sukoi Pt.

With one relatively exposed section remaining, we headed out of Leo Anchorage under glassy conditions, quickly turning into Salisbury Sound, where were pushed in by moderate West winds that strengthened to perhaps 15 knots by late morning.  We stopped and took a lunch break at the mouth of Sukoi Inlet, near Sukoi Point, then headed back into protected waters once more.  I remembered being struck by the austere beauty of the area the previous time I had paddled in Salisbury Sound--also with Jason--two summers prior.  Now, by comparison with what we had paddled through, it all seemed quite tame.

Paddling down Sukoi Inlet

Although it is possible to paddle into Krestof Sound from Sukoi Inlet, the Southern end of the inlet dries at low tide, and was only a few feet deep when we paddled through, quite near high.  At one point, we startled a land otter near the bank, who dove into the water and swam directly under my kayak, clearly visible in the shallow water.  A few minutes later, we watched an eagle snatch a small pink salmon from the water in front of us, and not forty minutes after that, we surprised a brown bear swimming across the channel.

Fading in the heat, with the sun beating down and no wind, we paddled towards, then through the Magoun Islands, searching for a campsite.  By that time, we were in easy striking distance of Sitka the next day and every additional mile was a bonus.  We debated camping near Point Brown, at the entrance to Sitka Sound, but decided to push on to Brent's Beach, where there is another Forest Service cabin.  We arrived to find the cabin empty, and although we worried we might be disturbed by paying visitors from Sitka, we were undisturbed.  A good thing, since good tent sites near the cabin were in short supply.

Brent's Beach

August 9: Drip Point to Leo Anchorage

South of Khaz Head

The 9th was likely the second most exposed day of my summer of paddling, after Cape Caution.  Shortly after departing Drip Point, we would round Khaz Head and be exposed to the open Pacific for about six nautical miles.  Although this stretch is much shorter than the area around Cape Caution, it is also exposed to the full brunt of ocean swell, with no protected alternatives  Anticipating several further days of excellent weather but a possible change on the afternoon of the 11th, we felt some pressure to paddle through this section, and to make it through Salisbury Sound, also quite exposed, into more protected waters by the time nasty weather would begin.

However, before heading out to open water, we needed to fill up our water supplies, which were running quite low.  We found a small cove N of Khaz Head with a little stream, but our refill took some time--we should have planned better and taken a break for water the day before.

Even so, we made good time and had little trouble with weather.  Swells were predicted for 5', and even close to shore, with depth effects, were probably no more than that.  Overall, quite pleasant, with another Northerly to speed us along.

The paddle was mostly uneventful, and we made the protected area around Leo Anchorage by late afternoon.  There, we found a lovely campsite which has obviously been frequently used.  NE of Fortuna Strait, a small islet is joined to Chichagof I. by a gravel and cobble tombolo.  On the Chichagof side, the established campsite has a fire ring and driftwood benches.

After pulling out and setting up camp, I took the opportunity to test paddle Christian's Avocet--a bit slower than my kayak, but easier to turn and roll.  Quite a roadster.

Looking Northwest from Leo Anchorage, watching the Seine Fleet head home.

August 8: Greentop to Drip Point

By the 8th, marine weather forecasts were predicting the end of the unbelievably good stretch of weather we had been experiencing since at least the 2nd.  With a few more days of good weather, but a series of fronts coming through after that, I was nervous that we might get caught on the outer coast for some indeterminate amount of time.  And after a number of relatively short days, I was itching to put in a few miles.

Snack break at Imperial Passage

We said our goodbyes mid-morning on the 8th, after packing up and cleaning out the cabin, then headed out of Greentop Harbor, across the mouth of Lisianski Strait, and across Islas Bay into White Sulphur Hot Springs, where there is a Forest Service cabin and a covered enclosure over the hot springs.  Jason and Christian had a good soak while I, ambivalent about hot tubbing in that day's 70-degree weather, heated up some water to rehydrate chili for dinner.  All for the best, since we needed somebody to watch the kayaks as the tide rose.

In the end, I decided to jump in for a quick dip and a scrub, then a quick jump into the tepid ocean where the hot springs water ran into the salt.  Felt human again, drying in the sun, though it did make putting my grungy sweatpants and shirt back on a little bit of a moral challenge.

Jason and Christian looking spicy

After our stop at the hot springs, we pushed on, paddling outside of Hill Island, assisted by a growing Northerly.  We made good time to Imperial Passage, where we pulled into a sheltered slot beach, startling a lone Sitka Blacktail as paddled in.  There, a quick snack break, then East into Portlock Harbor, then Surveyor passage.  In these sheltered areas, it was easy to forget the 4' swell outside.  Plenty of sea otters and seine boats throughout.

As we neared the Northern end of Ogden Passage, we started looking, unsuccessfully, for a campsite. What we saw was mostly uneven and rocky.  We found a pleasant site at Drip Point, however, which is on a small island with a North-facing beach, and a smaller beach just S of the point, with a SW aspect.  Here, we found good tent sites and a convenient place to pull out.

One of the things I learned this summer is that I don't eat as much as I think I do--my meal plan is always a little skimpy by the standards of my paddling partners.  Par for the course, my chili dinner, planned for that evening, turned out to be a little underpowered for Jason and Christian, so we served it over a helping of mashed potatoes, which turned out to be a dynamite combination.

Cooking dinner at Drip Point, enjoying the evening light.

August 7: Bohemia Basin to Greentop

Another relatively short day paddling down Lisianski strait, mostly helped by an outgoing tide, and into Greentop harbor, followed by some visiting.  Nothing especially notable, except for the beautiful scenery of the outer coast, and the confusing though pretty labyrinth of Greentop harbor.

At one time, Greentop was a cannery town.  Never very big, it currently has a few seasonal residents and a Forest Service cabin.  The cabin can be reached from Greentop Harbor, but in foul weather can also be accessed from Lisianski Strait, via a trail to "Chickenshit Cove," more politely known as "Chicken Cove."  Like the rest of this stretch, our weather was perfect, with hardly any wind and sunny weather, so we headed through "Hole in the Wall" and into Greentop through the harbor itself.

One of Jason's research colleagues has a seasonal cabin at Greentop, so after moving our stuff into the large USFS cabin, we wandered over, chatted with the neighbors (who are full time Pelican residents, escaping to Greentop during the summer to get away from the noise!) and had an excellent dinner: salmon, bread, salad grown in the garden.  A very pleasant evening.

August 6: Basalt Knob to Bohemia Basin

Beautiful Pelican, Alaska

Another mid-morning departure (no headless salmon or bear tracks on the beach this morning!), with plenty of time before the ferry's arrival, mid-afternoon, in Pelican.  We caught another tailwind down the inlet, and arrived before Noon, pulling out just beside the ferry dock on a small gravel beach. Once in town, we found out that the ferry would be delayed by several hours, which left us plenty of time to explore.  Unfortunately, it was Sunday, so not much was open (not that there's a lot in town anyways), but we managed to eat a pizza and enjoy the sunny weather.  The community of Pelican is mostly built on pilings along a boardwalk around a tidal area; feels a bit like a college dorm filled with fishermen and old hippies.

Looking towards Pelican from Bohemia Basin

After a bit of a wait, and some conversation with the locals, the ferry arrived and we unpacked and set out.  Our morning tailwind had strengthened a bit, and as we needed to backtrack several miles to the Eastern end of Lisianski strait, we now faced a significant headwind.  We were able to duck out of the wind a bit by paddling up the Western side of the inlet, and were accompanied by a family of Killer Whales for several miles, which helped us keep our minds off our troubles.  At one point, the largest of the Orcas was no further than 75 or 80 feet away.  Quite a treat.  When we turned West into Lisianski Strait, we were happily well-protected from the wind, though we faced a strong contrary current for a few miles.  Nevertheless, we made it to the Bohemia Basin Forest Service shelter without too much trouble, riding eddies most of the way.

The shelter itself is a typical Forest Service emergency shelter: reservation-free, no-fee, three sided Adirondack with a wood stove and wooden bunks.  It was also unfortunately typical in that the party before us had not been especially conscientious about keeping a clean camp, and there was quite a bit of food waste around the site.  Alaskans, pack your food waste out!  Those eggshells and tuna cans are easy to carry and if you leave them, say, sitting in the middle of the fire ring, they might lead to unpleasant issues for future campers!

Despite our triumphs and struggles with wind earlier in the day, the evening was quite calm, therefore also quite buggy.  Christian and Jason are apparently tougher than I am, and slept quite well despite mosquitos and white socks.  I decided to set up my tent (without fly) inside the shelter in order to stay sane, however, and spent a pleasant night.

August 5: Column Point to Basalt Knob

Basalt Knob Campsite

Another short day, with only a short distance to go before we were due to meet Christian on the 6th in Pelican.  We packed up slowly in the morning, after noting bear sign on the beach from the night before, and headed down Lisianski Inlet, weaving around seiners on the way.  Although I had experienced an uncomfortable moment with a  rude fisherman earlier on in the summer, and was a little nervous--for some reason, he felt the need to stand on deck and stare me down as I paddled around--we were universally treated kindly, with several seine skiffs moving away from shore so we could get by.

Jason, coming back up

We got a nice push from a Northerly breeze that may have been blowing 25 knots by early afternoon, and were able to surf wind waves down the channel.  Jason's Tempest seemed especially to catch a push from these relatively small waves, even at times when my longer boat would get bogged down.

We found a nice campsite about five miles from Pelican, on a beach just South of Basalt Knob, a dark rocky bluff.  We took advantage of the warm sunny day to practice some self-rescue; this was the first time I had tested my two piece dry-top/bib combo in any kind of rescue other than a roll.  While the two piece arrangement keeps me completely dry while rolling, I did get wet when I had to swim, practicing paddle float rescues, or reentry and roll.  No problem in the warm weather we had been having, and it would take a long time before I would be soaked, but an important consideration in colder weather and more exposed conditions.  Important to think about.

As an aside, I did find the two-piece arrangement exceptionally convenient for this kind of trip, with long stretches of camping in often wet weather.  On a rainy day, it was easy to put my bibs on first thing, essentially treating them as rain bibs, and wearing them with a rain jacket.  I could then put the dry top on just before my PFD and sprayskirt, leaving my rain jacket to pack last.  Likewise, working around camp in paddling bibs in the evening was not uncomfortable.  I'm tempted to spring for a regular drysuit for future paddling trips which involve more exposed conditions (for example, a possible trip around the Southern tip of Baranof island or more paddling in the Cross Sound area), but it will be tempting to bring a two pice setup much of the time, because of the added comfort and convenience.

Wearing my NRS paddling top, earlier on
in the trip.  Cowboy hat FTW.

I had hoped that the NRS paddling top with neoprene neck gasket would double as a rain jacket, but I found that the difficulty of getting the jacket on and off--especially getting in and out of the tent--made such a use impractical.  However, I did find the paddling top to be very helpful in giving my skin a break from the dry top's latex neck gasket.  Applying KY jelly in the morning and periodically through the day certainly reduced the pain I have often experienced from wearing drysuit gaskets at the neck, but there were still times when, given the length of my paddling trips this summer, the paddling jacket was a figurative lifesaver.  Of course, this meant that I was carrying three similar jackets!  Everything fit just fine, but one can be forgiven for thinking this approach might be overkill.

As an aside from my aside, I wonder if the most efficient strategy might be something along the lines of a storm cagoule/Tuiliq--a long paddling overgarment, potentially with a double-tunnel skirt for integrating with paddling bibs--that would serve as a rain jacket, paddling jacket, and overgarment for foul weather paddling.  In my head, such a garment would be waterproof, probably not breathable, and would be stitched from cuben/dyneema fabric.  Future gear project?

August 4: Inian Islands to Column Point S.

Another mid-morning start after a restful night.  Made the quick hop from the Inian Islands to Elfin Cove, and paddled through the community, but had no reason to stop--still too early in the leg to want to resupply on snacks or buy soda or ice cream.  Pretty little place, and generally well kept, though the protected location makes it easy to forget how stunning the surrounding waters are.

After a quick snack, headed out of the cove and across Port Althorp, then worked our way Southwest, down the shore of Chichagoff Island, towards column point.  Lots of seiners noisily working this area, though always interesting to see them mid-harvest.  This area has beautiful rocky bluffs and gravel beaches, and Three Hill Island as well as the Chichagoff stretch between Port Althorp and Lisianski Inlet looked ripe for camping, though we did not stop to investigate.

Beautiful evening, looking towards Yakobi Island and Column Point.  Note the seine boats in the Inlet.

Column point, marking the Eastern entrance to Lisianski Strait, does indeed feature a number of hoodoo like columns and other interesting rock formations.  We paddled through low swell here (maybe four feet) and turned the corner, through a gaggle of seiners, down the inlet.  Camp was above a beach in a bight about .65 nautical miles to the SE of the point.

We ended the day quite early.  Weather was beautiful for paddling, but we had two days to reach Pelican and were only about 12 nmi away.  This left us several hours to lounge on the beach, cook, etc.  Since we had so much time, we were a little lazy setting up camp, pulling out on the NW end of the beach, then deciding to move our things to a different location, nearer a creek mouth to the SE, about a half hour later.

As we were discussing tent locations (which were abundant, above the beach in some tall grass as well as under the trees), we turned around to see a sizable brown bear fishing at the mouth of the creek, no more than 75' away.  No problem except that the seiners, creek, and breaking waves on the beach were making so much noise that we couldn't get her attention and alert her to our presence.  One shot from the .44 I was wearing solved that problem, and also the problem of being able to hear any conversation for the next half hour or so.  Who doesn't love a little tinnitus?  It goes without saying, we moved our tents back down the beach, away from the creek and the bear!

A few hours later, the same bear was back, but clearly aware of us, probably wondering if she could go back to fishing.  We banged on our pot lid with a spoon to let her know we were still around, and she disappeared again.  No further bear sightings that night, though we did find a couple sets of bear tracks on the beach in the morning, and a headless chum salmon, still bleeding, about 30' from our tents.  Peace offering?  Mafia, horse's-head-under-the-sheets threat?  Very picky eater?  The world may never know.

August 3, 2017: Point Carolus to the Inian Islands

On the 3rd, set off mid-morning in a fog, heading West towards Cross Sound.  More sea lions following us, but not as closely or as playfully as the day before.  Had a little help from an outgoing tide, and a nice Easterly wind pushed us along at a good clip.  As we approached the open ocean, started to feel a bit of incoming swell, probably no more than 3' or so.

The fog was mostly gone by the time we started our crossing to the Inian Islands, a mile or so East of Dundas Bay.  Beautiful, rocky landscape in that area, more striking the closer we got to the outer coast.

Traveled through the Inian Islands, down Mosquito Pass and past The Hobbit Hole, to camp above a pretty gravel beach in a very protected location facing Point Lavinia.  Some fishing vessel traffic--seiners and tenders--and lots of sea lions all afternoon.

Cross Sound, Looking up Taylor Bay towards Brady Glacier.  This photo was taken on the 3rd, a few miles Southwest of the Inian Islands