Each morning Bill and Mike would attempt to solve a serious world problem. As the days went by this dialogue inevitably lead to increasingly dramatic retaliatory behaviour (from one of us who hates being wrong). However, we finally agreed on one premise for the one problem that seems to plague the unconscious in every culture and era of time; Relationships. Our conclusion: "Anyone who is not you . . . who is living with you . . . is a problem."
What a day2 (day squared)! Vietnam, Grizzlys, Heaven's door, and now this. Deep inside Foggy bay we found a little channel that lead back to a secluded lagoon. These two pictures were taken about the same time. The light picture is our view over the bow, the dark picture is our view aft. It would be impossible to capture eveything in between. One incredible day. Few people have as much awe in a year as we had today. I guess that makes it an "awesome" day
Heading up the narrow straight that leads north from Ketchikan. We decided this was not a good place to stop for lunch.
Finally arrived in Ketchikan. A seasoned fishing village embedded in the rocks of Tongass Narrows on Revillagigedo Island. There are about 10,000 residents, and about 12,000 visitors who arrive aboard the four cruise ships that dock here every DAY. As you can see, the ships dwarf the town. We were surprised to find that there were more jewelry stores and bars than anything else. Excellent dinner at Bar Harbor Restaurant with Banana ice cream for desert. Deluged with epiphanies and sweet slumber.
What a day! Vietnam war, Grizzly congregation, and now, we were sure that some diety was going to step out of the sky and bless us. Then we decided that we were already blessed. Who would have though it could get even better?
Beyond amazing! Found over a half dozen Grizzly bears. These are not typical neighborhood bears, they are big, as in gargantuous. Sometimes within one hundred feet of us. They didn't mind at all, just kept on eating grass. We, on the other hand, couldn't get enough of them, hence another 450 pictures, we'll spare you all but three.
So far this is the most colorful and picturesque fjord we've been to, and we haven't even seen any bears . . . yet. The inlet is about six miles long. The last three miles are inside the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary. There are an estimated 55 Grizzly bears that live here full time.
Okay, so we ran over your fishing net, that's no reason for "I go ram yo bout" or calling the Vietman fishing boat militia. Plus, I think he's swearing at us! Pic of Mike trying to talk sense to the senseless. Hmmm, wonder why things settled down when Bill started taking pictures?
Getting rid of a bilge full of suds by sunset, unlikely; finding a Volvo water pump in Prince Rupert on Friday night, impossible; the look on Mikes face when he realized we'll be here 'till Monday, Priceless!
You're right Julie, there is nothing to worry about, the girls up here really do wear rubber boots!
We're 20 miles from shore and we have GPS, Radar, Sonar, and autopilot, why do we have to look where we're going? Fog at last!
Okay, we didn't smile for the auto-timer, but we were happy campers. Who wouldn't be? Gorgeous trip and dinner is served; penne pasta with scallops, longistos, and artichokes with fine Australian wine. Who needs Wolfgang when you've got Joe?
Fog pours out of Port Harltey as we head for Grenville Channel early in the morning.
We were monitoring Channel 6 (the community facebook) when we heard the announcement that "the Red Door now has ice cream available?" Several minutes later we met Barbara and Camelia. The Red Door is their home. You knock, she yells "come in" and asks you what you would like. The groceries come out of her cupboards and the ice cream comes out of her refrigerator and get's scooped into cones from her husbands boat. Her husband is "the only white guy in town." She got him from Toronto on the internet. She no longer has any use for the internet. Camelial is their daughter. By the time we got to the Red Door Mike had offered 1/2 the neighborhood ice cream cones. Good thing, it got us free moorage and lots of new friends. I visited with Barbara and managed he purchase while he ran back and forth delivering the goods. Good thing I had a pile of Loonies in my pocket.
The local's told us about a hike to the lake above Port Hartley. To our surprise, the mile long path to the lake was also a boardwalk. During the hike we met Denny who started a small fish hatchery up here and now raises 500,000 Coho each year to stock the local lakes.
We arrive in Port Hartley for a quick fuel stop and decide to spend the night. We are surprised to see that the streets of the entire town are built on boardwalks. They were originally built by Barbara's Grandfather, who was the Chief, because many people were so poor they couldn't buy shoes. Wood is easier on their feet, especially in the winter when they get thirty feet of snowfall. Now they allow no cars in the town, only four wheelers, golf carts and snowmobiles.
Bill in front of the Native Cultural Center. Strange resemblence to the man standing next to him. Port Hartley residents here are proud of this center and encourged us to visit. The history of their relatives in this rather isolated culture is told inside.
Verney Passage was not mentioned in any guide or book we had, yet it was one of the most amazing days of the trip. It's a narrow passage with steep walls filled with cliffs and waterfalls. Even at seven knots each moment was a new wonder.
