August 1, 2005
Sitting in the tent in serious rain near
This Miller's Landing campground really sucks. There is no good drainage and the soil has low permeability leading to water running under the tent. Fortunately the tent floor is impervious so far. I believe things will be much better when camping on the beach in a better location with no water running underneath and no puddle in front. Played around a bit with different tarp locations, but the net result is that I need a larger tarp to make it bombproof. Ordered a Granite Gear White Lightning through Rory and we will see if she can bring it. The BD Lighthouse would probably be fine for a solo tent in the rain as then one can stay in the middle of the tent and avoid the walls which tend to weep but not grossly leak in the continuous rain. If things get worse we can cover the tent with the second Heptawing imitation tarp in shingle fashion. Initially the Heptawing knockoff June and I made was leaking along the seams but that seems mostly fixed.
Typing with the Dell Axim X50v and the Bluetooth keyboard from Think Outside is working very well. One can get a paragraph and a half on the screen, probably more with a smaller font. The screen quality would support a smaller font than the 10 point default. Just switched to 8 point and it is a little small but readable even without stronger reading glasses. The front porch awning is nice with the Heptawing knockoff, except that, in this "campground" there is a puddle out front. That won't be a problem in the future. In the absence of bugs, we should be able to keep the front door open for views.
Today
Claire and Elaine took a boat tour to
The Big Agnes sleeping pad is good so far but is best for sleeping and not as good for hanging around camp. May keep the Z-rest Elsa has for the next trip. Just turned on the music while typing, very nice. It looks, so far, like the PDA was a good idea, certainly much better than a computer given the power limitations. Perhaps I will try drawing tonight; hydraulics problems in the rain seems like a good one.
Solar
charging is going to be problematic until it stops raining all the time, if it
ever does. The new USB connector from
Went kayaking today. Rented a double for Otter and Elsa while paddling the Feathercraft Kahuna myself. The boat is fine so far, but there were no real waves to test things out. The water is quite cold upon immersing the hands beneath.
Just noticed a drip from the other corner of the tent. The problem seems to be at the first (lowest) velcro fastener for the rear half of the tent poles, although, since the front ones are covered by the wing, certainty is awaits. The 8 point font is working well and gives two small paragraphs of text. Currently the screen is in portrait, landscape awaits!
Time to sign off for today.
August 2, 2005
Claire went on a fishing cruise this afternoon from one until six PM; caught a salmon and ate it for lunch. Set up the tent with two Heptawings this morning and it works wonderfully. Finally I'm rainproof in this awful campground. As expected, this tent is great once you put a rainfly over it. There is room for a six foot awning or thereabouts when we get to a camp with no puddle outside the front door.
Rain has continued off and on all day and we are starting to get used to it. Not bad at all when you can go inside to dry out; what will it be like when there is no dry cabin or car?
The keyboard is now tied to the PDA with a secure setting and automatically connects when you start typing as long as Bluetooth is turned on. Very nice piece of equipment in all. Typing and listening to music. Must switch flash cards to listen to the one that must be reformatted for pictures first.
Elsa and I kayaked separately for short distances today to continue getting in shape. Tomorrow we will go to Homer on a driving day trip.
August 8, 2005
This is the second morning out. The first day, August 6, we paddled to Decision Point and stayed at the state park at Squirrel Cove. Very nice wooden platforms in the woods with bear box and outhouse. Several salmon were trapped in the small stream. Presumably they entered at high tide or perhaps during a rain storm. We left about noon and made it to a nice camp in a small cove just short of Pirate Cove. We stopped at the state park a mile or two before this but it was not a nice place to camp. Today will be our third day of paddling and we hope to make it about eight miles up the bay. We are heading for Harriman Fjord with the big glaciers.
Arthur and Elsa are doing well in the big double kayak. Most of the food is going in the large double. Weather so far has been perfect, no rain. Bugs are present but not bad & present no problems, even for Arthur. Hopefully this good weather will last.
It is now
evening and we are camped at the end of a spit at the mouth of
Chuck and
I paddled across
August 9, 2005
Chuck started fishing for salmon off the end of the spit/point near camp. The fish were biting. I caught four large steelhead and we ate one for lunch, excellent. One of the gold colored Panther-Martin spinners worked best.
Elsa went
for a paddle in
The food seems to disappear faster today, perhaps everyone is getting hungry. A pound and a half per person per day should be enough but not a lot of food. It appears kayaking burns less than hiking - don't use the bug muscle groups. Elsa stored the fish for eating in her trap. Last night it produced nothing but I'm sure she will try again tonight.
We stayed over a day in camp because of the excellent fishing and because Chuck was tired. We plan to move up into the glaciers tomorrow.
Watched a duck go after a school of minnows near camp. The minnows appeared to go into a ball shape. Soon a flock of gulls came to feast. While the duck dived for minnows in the water, the gulls dive bombed with great success. The tide is coming up and will soon approach a tarp guy line. The tent is pitched with a tarp awning.
August 12, 2005
The past two nights we camped at Notch campsite. The location is on a point overlooking Surprise Glacier (3.4 miles distant and Harriman Glacier (more than six miles away). The views were outstanding but the site was wet and buggy. Mostly some type of biting flies with poor response to deet. Elsa picked a tent spot on a cliff above the ocean with views of both glaciers. Surprise Glacier calved often and sounded like a coming thunderstorm or a freight train just starting up with car couplings clanking loudly. We were too far away to see the calving.
On the paddle into Barry Arm we crossed a shallow moraine with no problems; just past the moraine we hit our first tide rip, albeit a minor one. The wind was coming from up the arm and the tide was coming into the arm resulting in steep waves. They were only less than a foot high but we experienced the phenomenon for the first time. After reaching Harriman Fjord, where there is a left turn we came upon an eddy line and change of water color; causing some consternation but no problems.
The Oystercatchers, four of them, hung out on a point of rocks b elow where we cooked. We stayed two nights there, the first after a long paddle from Hobo Cove. On the layover day we paddled over to examine Surprise Glacier. Arthur and Chuck took the singles and came right back. Elsa and I took the double an additional thirteen miles or so round trip up to Harriman Glacier. We got much closer to Harriman. There were caves in the ice and water, a river, coming out of the glacier. Probably it will not be tidewater much longer as gravel is visible along much of the bottom and the river appears to be flowing on land beneath the ice. We stopped to take a break and walk on the snout of the south flank of the glacier. A boat, the Discovery was nearby with kayakers. It appears to be on of those adventure cruise types.
Today we paddled across and down the Fjord to Hinge campsite, very pretty on a point with views of Coxe and Barry Glaciers. The calving is not as loud as Surprise Glacier but produces more ice. The currents are interesting. As the tide rises the flow goes along the deep channel toward Barry and then moves the ice out of Barry Arm and into Harriman Fjord. This likely is caused by a buried moraine at the mouth of Harriman Fjord. We are camped at the North end of this buried terminal moraine.
Few bugs at this site - what a relief! Weather is perfect, not a cloud in the sky; how much longer can this last? Water is limited to pools of brown water, perfectly acceptable, but not aesthetically pleasing.
The neck gasket on my drysuit failed when I took it off. We cut the gasket down by one ring and Elsa taped it up with 3M clear duct tape. This is poor timing; although new the gasket material seems to be a bad batch as the stuff we cut off tore very easily, way too easily. This is an important safety issue, particularly when I get to Glacier Bay, we will have to make the best of it and take the risks as they come.
August 13, 2005
We went over to look at the Coxe Campsite and see if was available. Turns out there was no one there last night. Both Elsa and Otter wanted to stay. Small ice floes covered the beach and we had to weave the kayaks through the ice. They drip in the sun and we use them to fill our cups and water container.
The site is wonderful with a distant view of Harriman Glacier. Nearby we watch calving from Cascade, Barry, and Coxe Glaciers. One of them caused some small waves breaking on the beach. It’s interesting to go walking among the ice floes stranded on the beach by the tide. I'm been waiting a very long time to see this sight. Arthur is busy taking pictures. All of us took spit baths and washed clothes in the frigid stream water coming off the glacier.
Paddling over here we went along the West side of the Arm and then crossed in front of the glaciers, weaving our way through all the ice in the channel. The Feathercraft seems to take the ice well so far, it just flexes.
The glacial silt seems to settle rapidly from the water leaving a couple inches of clear water above a silty layer below. I can't think of a more spectacular campsite than this. Once again the weather is perfect and there are no bugs; at least not yet.
August 18, 2005
Have not taken the chance to record for several days now. We left Harriman Fjord through Barry Arm after camping below Coxe Glacier. In the morning we were in the shade with temperatures around forty degrees. The arm was chocked with ice floes which had calved off Cascade and (mostly) Barry Glacier during the previous evening and night. We paddled through the ice with the red plastic kayak leading the way with Elsa at the helm. This was a very nice experience.
A buoy in Barry Arm showed the current to be rapid going with us and we made good time. The kids had been aroused early to ensure we had the tide with us. We camped back at the same place at Hobo Cove and once again the fishing was excellent and the views nice.
The next day we moved down bay and camped in Pirate Cove. The stream had "thousands" of salmon spawning in it, mostly silvers. Chuck had a great time catching fish out of the boiling mass of fish until his rod broke.
The next day, the sixteenth, we went all the way to the
We stayed in the Anchor Inn, the workingman's place, for a reasonable price and immediately spread out all the gear to dry. All the neoprene stuff really stinks. A major task will be to dry it out on the boat.
Presently
I am riding on the Kennecott towards Juneau and the next adventure. Chuck is in
Tomorrow when I wake we will be elsewhere and seeing something new. Perhaps the stench in my little berth will have subsided by then; or maybe I will be acclimated to it.
August 21, 2005
Came into Juneau last night and stayed in Bergamont? Hotel. Don't recommend it. Should have stayed in the Hostel. The young kids on the boat stayed there and said it was excellent.
Saw the youngsters downtown and had beer with them at a bar then
stumbled back to the hotel to sleep. Next morning got up and went to
Glacier Bay Express Ferry was excellent with an excellent crew. Saw a number of Humpback Whales especially near Point Adolphus. The park has wheelbarrows to take gear to and from the campground. The outside phone has free local calls. Why can't other parks be set up as well? Met Rob who has kayaked extensively this summer.
Rory arrived on time and brought the new tarp. It is even nicer than I had hoped, complete with guy lines and a self storage bag. It is the White Lightning by Granite Gear ten by twelve feet.
Tomorrow
we should be able to head out into the
Glacier Bay Sea Kayaks has been wonderfully helpful with us. Highly recommended.
August 23, 2005
It is now after dark and Rory is sleeping. The sun sets
around eight thirty. Basically south eastern
Yesterday
was hectic. First I got up and called the Post Office to see if my food had
arrived. It did and took three weeks from
After getting the logistics worked out I had to build my Feathercraft Kahuna. It all went smoothly; in fact I've never done as well before. I'm just slower at learning this stuff than most. The portion I've always had trouble with was really slick when I did it right. Although I watched the movie and read directions I just did not understand how to fit the large cross braces correctly. After that we rushed to pack everything and fit it all in the Expedition Beluga double which has too little storage space, especially for the bear proof food bins.
The Bartlett Cove park facility is wonderful. Someone really thought this one through. Wheel barrows are available to transport your gear from boat or car to the campground. They provide free bear food canisters. The phone does free local calls. There is a place to store your extra stuff. Wow.
We started off in a rush and the rudder pedals came off. Very difficult to control a loaded double without the rudder. After we stopped to fix it all was OK. In order to fit everything we had to paddle with bags around us and a large food container between my legs.
We had
heard from Rob, a guy who had just come in, that Humpback Whales were near
Beardsley Opening and
The next
day we packed to leave at low tide around ten thirty. We made it but had to
stop and fix the rudder again. A food canister had come loose and prevented the
pedals from moving. We then proceeded north along the edge of the
Tomorrow, weather permitting, we will go up into Muir Inlet. We are near the mouth right now and will be fine unless there is a strong northwest wind, the only direction with large fetch. Rory is anxious to see the glaciers. She will soon get her wish. We should get to McBride Glacier in two more days of paddling.
The new tarp is great; although we have had not had rain on it yet. It fully covers the tent with a large awning and goes up easily. Has a place to put my paddle for front support and the tent makes a rear support.
August 26, 2005
Today we are taking a rest day at McBride inlet. McBride Glacier calves into the inlet and from there they go into the East Arm. It is cloudy, cold, and rains about half of the time. Very little wind. Form the inside of the tent we can view the ice packed lagoon. We chose our campsite based upon where we could land the kayak between the ice bergs. Had pancakes for breakfast. Presently Rory is sleeping. She is tired from three hard days in a row. The Beluga Expedition double is a fat and slow boat. The only thing good about it is that is seems very stable. The three feet or so waves we have seen so far have never really troubled us.
Yesterday we camped on a small beach to the north of Adams Inlet. One of those cute isolated places with little room to walk about. It rained hard almost all the time.We thought for awhile that we would have to layover there as the waves kept building in the morning. However they backed off and we packed up. Just at launch time they came back but never gave us problems. Waves, tailwind, and tide propelled us up towards McBride Inlet. The beach was totally covered with clam shells.
The
twenty fourth we paddled from
We are paddling in the drysuits in rainy weather and they really help. One hardly notices when it starts raining. One can wade into the water to launch the boat and get into the Alder to tie up the tarps without getting wet. In terms of the PDA, so far I have not had to get into the reserve battery supply but today used the rechargeables for the first time. The Iowa Solar AA charger thinks it is working right now under the tarp in the rain based upon the flashing LEDs.
Pretty soon I will stir Rory out of the tent to paddle close to the calving ice face. Well, its done now and we saw a great one. An entire large column of ice fell off. The waves were about five feet. Like the Barry Glacier, they were very long wavelength and thus like swells unless you are near shore or a large iceberg. The swells kept coming at s and getting larger at something like a quarter to half a mile from the ice face. The waves crashed against the near vertical rock walls and then reflected and refracted off them leading to a successively more complex but smaller series of waves from all directions. The commotion was still active fifteen minutes after the calving event. Saw a lot of seals hauled out onto the ice. Their movements are funny and awkward out of the water.
Tomorrow we plan to move on to Riggs Glacier. It is raining all the time, we're just getting acclimated and act like it has stopped when it slows to a drizzle. One gets a very cozy feeling under the tent under the tarp during the rain. Hopefully we will see the sun and dry things out sometime.
August 27, 2005
Today we got up early in order to get out of McBride Lagoon at high slack tide. Upon exiting the tent around five thirty I saw the half moon peak out from the clouds. Turned out to be a mostly cloudy day with maybe five or ten percent clear skies. The breeze was very drying and we managed to dry out our gear especially my stinky neoprene boots and the formerly stinky socks I had hand washed with little hope of them ever drying. Great weather, nice and cool but not too cold, probably in the fifties mostly.
We paddled to Riggs Glacier and viewed it from the kayak. The camping area didn't look that exciting to us and Rory suggested paddline further up the inlet to find a camping spot. Excellent suggestion! We paddled until we passed an idyllic point we both liked. We both seem to like to camp on little used points and at very small camping spots. The tent is on a shelf we believe will be safe at high tide (currently low amplitude neap tides) but all our beach disappears with the tide. Rory is currently keeping watch to make sure the high tide at eight thirty PM doesn't inundate the tent or separate tarp shelter. We will soon know.
Muir
inlet is gorgeous and very different. Because of the recent retreat of Muir
Glacier the vegitation is still coming back. Near our
camp the rocks are covered with green moss and lichen. From a distance this
mountain looks like a desert mountain such as the
This is our best campsite yet and we have had some very nice ones. Tomorrow we will paddle to see Muir Glacier and then either move camp down bay or stay here another night. Neither of us enjoy the task of breaking camp, loading kayak, unloading, and making camp. It will be easier when I get into my own kayak and get rid of extra food canisters so that there is space enough to make packing easy.
For future trips the best strategy is probably to be taken out by boat with all your food, make a stash of food containers, and periodically come back to resupply. At the end get picked up so that you never have to transport all the food containers at once. A related option is to get more compact food.
August 30, 2005
Yesterday we stayed at our point near Muir Glacier and it was sunny all day. In the morning we set out for a quick day trip to the glacier, about three miles away. Although the waves had seemed small from camp, despite the whitecaps, they turned out to be larger than anticipated. We had thought the small fetch would limit the size but that turned out to be wrong. We stopped on shore and put on the dry suits. When we went back out the wind had picked up even more and there were whitecaps with three feet waves. Although the double kayak was very stable we thought it best to go back to camp and wait. After a couple hours lazing around camp the wind retreated and we set off again. As we rounded the final bend and had the glacier in sight a katabatic wind began and it was a lot of work to get to land. There is a large gently sloping deposit coming our from the glacier and at low tide it was difficult to pull the kayak up to a safe location. We managed to walk it up the steam and then walked closer to the glacier. We were both paranoid the kayak would be blown out to sea and we would be stranded. When you have only one kayak it is best to keep the beacon on one's person.
Muir glacier has retreated tremendously over the years. One of our electronic maps showed the glacier right at our campsite, now some three miles away.
The next day we paddled something like sixteen miles to Hunter Cove and had a nice camp there. The fall colors are really coming on now and will only get better. After our day of pure sunshine it was raining again by morning and has rained off and on ever since. It is now eleven AM on the thirtieth and we have not decided if we will be lazy and stay in camp or move on to our next destination today. We both like a pattern of camping in the same location for two days and then paddling hard. Minimized the drudge work of breaking camp, setting up camp, loading and unloading the kayak. This is a great spot with views and birds. Haven't tried the fishing yet but will if we decide to stay until tomorrow. The beach in front is too shallow but there is a rocky cliff a few hundred yards away and there might be a fishing spot there.
We are right across from where we saw the brown bear coming in. It came down to the stream, caught and ate one fish, then moved on as we watched from the kayak. The bears must be pretty satisfied this time of year as there is plenty to eat, as long as you like salmon.
September 3, 2005
We went from Hunters Cove to
The following day, September 2 we
crossed the bay to Blue Mouse Cove and then headed into Hugh Miller Inlet to a
nice campsite. The wind was coming strong down the bay throughout the
entire crossing and the three foot waves started white capping. Too late to
change and the waves were directly down the bay so we just kept quartering the
waves to be stable and eventually reached the middle of the island south of
Blue Mouse Cove. We went along the eastern shore of the island up to the cove
and dropped off three of the food containers. Great to get rid of that shit so
we can finally fit in the kayak without junk all over. A couple from the
Today we went to Carpentier Inlet to check it out. Caught a fish in the stream to eat. Many waterfalls. Now we are back in camp, the same camp and Rory is taking a nap. She was very tired today.
September 5, 2005
Well I've made it through my first time alone. The day had an inauspicious beginning. Rory and I packed up and headed around the island for the pickup location at Blue Mouse Cove. The way we came in is only open at high tide and the tide was now fairly low. Unfortunately neither of us bothered to study the map. It turns out our alternative route is also only open at high tide. Rather than paddle further we portaged the kayak over the divide. OK except for some deep mud. It was raining hard all day.
At the pickup we set up the tarp at a location where I could sort gear and load my kayak then float it off at high tide. Well, we missed the spot and I had a mess. First they picked Rory up late so it was later in the tide. Then we forgot to load the extra bear bin, leaving me with a more complex task. I tried to move the tarp to higher ground but failed and had a mess on my hands trying to move gear from the water and keep the tarp up. Finally gave up and sorted out in the hard rain. What a mess. Stashed some food in the woods in the extra bear container and threw a little extra gear on top of the kayak. I like avoid this because when it gets rough out the on deck stuff destabilizes the kayak. Waves hit it and increase the turning moment, it raises the center of gravity, and increases frontal area when going into a head wind.
After our messy portage I was skeptical of the northern passage out of Skidmore bay and did not want to wait another day to get through. The boat crew said the seas were small out in the main bay so I took that route along about five miles of steep cliffy shore. There were few spots to pull out but mostly the waves were OK. Got a big scare from the waves caused by a large cruise boat in combination with increased wind and waves going around a point. Again I wasn't patient. Upon seeing the very large cruise ship I worked hard to get into a little sort of cove with rocks rather than cliffs for shore to avoid the chaotic rebound reflection, refraction waves one gets from cliffs. The wind had picked up and we already had two to three feet active waves.
Well, I decided that the cruise ship waves must have come through and were nothing and proceeded around the next, very cliffy point with greater waves and wind exposure. Just at the wrong time I saw big whitecaps and the wave size increased; decided to turn around and pull out at the very nominal beach I had just passed. Well, I turned back in time to have the really big waves breaking behind me, much more difficult than facing them. Once I reached safety the waves were gone and eventually I went back around the point. The lesson is that I should have waited patiently in the safe location until I was sure the cruise ship waves had passed given how difficult the conditions were without them.
Eventually came to a small cove with a minimal beach to make camp. Went to the far end where it seemed higher even if rocky. This is the new moon tide tonight so one has to get pretty high and the sandy gravel beaches were very small and not all that high. Excellent for a neap tide but not tonight. The problem with the site I chose, I discovered too late, is that it has very very shallow groundwater; about a centimeter or less. Basically I'm camped on a large seep which is active when it rains this hard. Too late to move now but I changed the tent and tarp location to make the best of it. With only one in the tent a perfect spot is no longer necessary.
Sure miss Rory. She's really great to be with and camping is much easier with two to split the work. I was exhausted by setting up camp and just finished eating at dark. Stayed in the drysuit until the end. The hard rain continues into the night. Trying the fist candle in the tent as a warmer with a campfire ambiance. It seems to really warm and dry the tent as I hoped, at least that's the preliminary reading. Unfortunately I only have about six of them, enough for an occasional treat.
Tomorrow the goal is Reid Glacier and inlet, assuming the wind will cooperate. If not I'll stay here and work. The kayaking should be easier as the shoreline is more mellow and allow me to pull out if conditions get rough on the water. Tonight it was against the tide and the wind as I worked my way along the shoreline. We will see about tomorrow. This is not a campsite or tarp pitching to write home about, but the tent is currently dry and comfortable. Much gear got a little wet during the kayak loading. Hopefully the rain will let off some time during the next sixteen days so things can dry, but it is rainy season in a rainy place.
September 6, 2005
As rough as yesterday was, today has been that good. Got
up at 5:30 with minimal light and cooked breakfast while packing. Managed to get off at 8:15 AM. Most everything fit inside
the kayak. Just before leaving saw a sea lion close to camp
swimming bye. Frist time I've seen one so
well. Just as the map said, the kayaking was around one small and one large
point before reaching the low area where
Upon entering the Reid Lagoon it was still low tide; instead of hauling the gear up a huge low tide beach I paddled the two miles or so each way to the ice face. It is no longer tidewater at low tide, only high tide; allowing one to approach very close. I went about 200 yards from the ice, as close as the water went but saw no reason to get out of the kayak for a closer look. Only the western section is calving. Now the tide has peaked and the glacier has calved several times. I doubt this one will be tidewater much longer.
The camping spot is excellent, large, and apparently well used, but in great shape. Pitched the cooking tarp near the estimated high water point and this time got it right, although I was worried about having to move it again when the tide peaked about 4:15 PM.
Tomorrow its on to Lamplugh Glacier assuming the wind and waves are OK. What
happens after that depends upon the waves and wind. I'm not excited about trying
something too bold with a late season solo trip with a leaky drysuit. I would rather go back to the sheltered
I'm in the tent early and plan to go to sleep early as well. The early starts make a lot of sense for solo travel as one has a lot more leeway if something goes awry.
The cruise ships seem to come in here about nine or so in the morning then go on a counterclockwise tour of Tarr and Johns Hopkins Inlets.
September 7, 2005
Great day until just after supper at six. I'm at the North side of Johns Hopkins Inlet, brown bear country. Saw the firs one just after crossing from the kayak. It ran after seeing me in the kayak, excellent sign. Went further into the inlet to view the glacier and look for camping sites. The one furthest in had no views so I camp back to one across from Lamluaugh Glacier. Excellent views of Johns Hopkins and Lamplaugh as well as mountains across the way.
This morning left from Reid Inlet at seven fifty in the morning, a time I will beat tomorrow. Lamplaugh is nice but the camping was around the bend with no view so I crossed to the other side. Was concerned about a cruise ship coming around the bend from Tarr Inlet at the wrong time so had the radio ready to make sure they knew I was there. At the same time the ship had just entered Tarr Inlet and that should take more than an hour before getting to Johns Hopkins. Just as planned it came around the point about a half hour after I was safely across. Again the water was smooth and glassy, really wonderful, and the views here are outstanding. The nearby mountains have some new snow on them and fall colors are here.
I liked this campsite because it is bound in on two sides by cliffs, so brown bears should not be cruising the shore as much. Especially I liked the cliff near my tent. As I was finishing up the Mountain House a big brown bear came rambling along the supposedly impregnable cliff. I waved the paddle float while walking toward him and it responded by heading up at first but then it just basically ignored me. Then it moved in the direction of the tent so I approached again and blew the whistle, while holding bear spray in each hand. Fortunately the wind was not blowing much. It went behind the tent into the bushes on the slope, hopefully to go around my camp. Sat on a rock to watch and pretty soon saw him grazing in the bushes near me and the food location. Not sure if he wanted in food in the bear canisters or just wandered out there. Anyway I blew the whistle again and moved very slowly toward him. He rambled along the beach in the direction he was going initially but did not hurry at all. Certainly wasn't scared. His pants are clean.
The initial plan was to spend two nights here and take a day trip into Johns Hopkins Inlet tomorrow. That has been scratched; assuming I last the night I will head out as soon as possible in the morning sans breakfast and probably try for Tarr Inlet. There is a very nice campsite location there across from a glacier. It depends on the bear and the weather. If there is wind and waves I will cross over the way I came and try to make the campsite just short of Lamplaugh. We will have to see what happens. Hopefully I will get some sleep tonight but I'm not optimistic. Not sure how nocturnal brown bears are; it would make sense that they are most active during the day, but I don't really know and am always most concerned when I can't see.
September 8, 2005
Got up early, no breakfast, no coffee, all in a rush packed up and was off by 6:50. Saw no more of my friend the big brown bear fortunately. Paddled toward Tarr Inlet. Everything was calm that early; a clear day following a clear cold night. The high mountains all have fresh snow on them. During the night Johns Hopkins glacier kept calving, especially as the tide was rising. You would hear this crack, sometimes eventually followed by a greatly delayed splashing of waves. Understand that the campsite was about seven miles from the glacier, so those started out as big waves.
Entered Tarr Inlet on the West side, a continuation of where I had been. Continuous cliffs as far as I went, no place to land for safety. I wasn't sure what would happen and did not want to camp along the brown bear track again; so I began the crossing just past the mouth, watching out for cruise ships coming in. Got about two thirds across and started to get glassy waves on the glassy surface; really strange, you can't properly see and react to them. They were either related to calving or left over from a previous wind, I thing the latter. Suddenly the Katabatic wind began to blow off the glacier some eight miles away. Quickly the waves picked up and I furiously paddled for shore while quartering the waves. Eventually shore was reached. The Feathercraft Kahuna seems to be very stable in the waves and shows no signs of flipping over; however I don't think kayaks give much warning, so I'm not sure how much margin I really had. The neck gasket on the drysuit is a tatters now and would leak like a sieve. Upon reaching the safe looking shore it turned out to be large rocks; better than a cliff as I could land there in an emergency. Kept paddling up the shore trying to make a good looking, more sheltered area ahead. Eventually it turned to all large waves and whitecaps everywhere; too much even for a pseudo safe shoreline. In desperation I saw about twenty feet of sand to land on and took it. Just leaned over towards the sand for each new wave while getting out of the kayak. It worked, didn't even get wet.
Sat around on the shore and ate a late and very much needed breakfast and hot Gautam's tea while sheltering behind a rock from the wind. Checked the place out and there were some small potential tent sites tucked into the willows; someone had the same problem a few years ago perhaps. For one person in a tent one does not need a prefect site. As the wind had not abated I decided to camp. The wind continued to blow until about two or three in the afternoon but by then camp was all set up and I didn't want to break and set it twice in a day; after all the load, unload, take down and set up are the big chores.
Being ensconced on the shore that does not have seasonal
closures for bears (the previous night's site is closed from June through
August and I can see why) I felt very secure reading under the tarp. That is
until two brown bears meandered into camp coming along the shore. These bears
must not be as astute as people indicate because I saw them first despite their
superior sense of smell. Of course they were coming from upwind. I shouted and
stood on a rock to look tall and they scampered up the hill out of sight.
Unlike the large one yesterday, I didn't see them peeking at me out of the
nearby bushes a few minutes later. Amazing how quiet these large creatures are,
even in the brush. These two are probably two years old or so, only about 500
or so pounds apiece. At least they had some fear of me, unlike the one last
night. I'm much less scared this time. I'll leave early in the morning but will
probably eat first. Tomorrow I will peak around the next bend at the glacier
and then head to
The
glacial views are great here, especially on a rare clear day with fresh snow
high up. However at this point I prefer the greater wildlife lower down in the
bay and am not at all excited about chasing brown bears out of my camp each
day. I'm anxious to get safely into the
September 9, 2005
This morning started early again; packing the kayak is getting much easier. The high tide is also moving into the early morning hours so one doesn’t have to carry gear so far. The bears didn't come back, or at least I didn't see them if they did.
Paddled up Tarr Inlet on another perfect
day. The wind never came up at all today. Only about a five mile or so
paddle so this counts as the needed day of rest. Really got a workout yesterday
trying to make the shore and a camp in the wind and waves. An intense workout
of a couple hours is more taxing than easy paddling all day. Decided to go
ahead and camp at the head of Tarr Inlet across from Margerie Glacier and at the snout of Grand Pacific Glacier.
Grand Pacific is very dark and rocky; doesn't calve much. From a distance it
looks like a superhighway into the mountains, wonderful view. Margerie Glacier is the big tourist attraction; pretty
white and blue; lots of seracs; calves often; and winds up to
This trip really was a great idea and has worked very well so far, assuming either the water or bears don't get me. There are essentially no more kayakers left in the park except me. The shuttle and rental services are closed for the winter.
The behavior of the cruise boats around the glacier face is interesting. They allow two huge cruise ships and one or more moderate sized ones to come in each day. The first big boat today got very close to the face of Margerie Glacier, showing that the calving face is over twice as high as the boat. The second one never got nearly as close. Interesting what difference a captain makes. They come in front of the glacier and hang out for about twenty minutes or so while making announcements about it. I can hear them speaking but can't quite make it out from here.
Mt Fairweather now has a cloud on top, the clouds are returning
and I would bet on rain by morning. What I wouldn't have bet on was two full days withoug rain and much
sunshine. Everything is now dry and the dry out will have lasting effects for
several days of rain if one is careful. Tomorrow should be an easy load as high
tide will be just an hour or so before I get off. Plan to go to
September 10, 2005
Made it about fourteen miles to the
southeast tip of
Camp is set up nicely with a view over the crossing to Ibach Point. This is the next major hurdle in the trip and I will try it tomorrow, even with wind and waves unless there are whitecaps. Worked on the failed neck gasket for the drysuit in an effort to make it tight enough to get at least a partial neck seal again. This time only put on one layer of tape to keep it more flexible. Hopefully I'll never find out how it works!
It has definitely gotten colder, and its not just the proximity of the glaciers. Today I paddled with two full layers on both top and bottom and was comfortable. It is now too cold to sit under the tarp and enjoy coffee, food, and a stogie. The drysuit is still the best raingear going it is actually more comfortable when it rains because you can then plan on the temperature being fairly constant; not like sun going in and out of clouds.
Last night had all my clothes on inside the sleeping bag and stayed quite warm; however there is no more margin left. Always feel better when there is something else that can be used if needed.
Blue Mouse Cove is about eighteen miles from here assuming a reasonable route along the coast. If the winds are low I will try to make it all the way tomorrow while riding the high tide down the bay. The winds seem to mostly blow down bay from the top; making my return potentially much faster but not as safe. The easiest thing with a kayak is to face the wind; going downwind is exciting but potentially dangerous for a novice like me.
It began raining today about eight or so in the morning and it has continued. At this point handling the rain is easy; the only limitation is the visibility. About half the time I can't even make out the distant shore about two miles away. If I were alone that would be no problem as a compass would cure the problem; the issue is the large cruise ships using the same channel. Tomorrow I will a) leave early to try to beat them, b) put the headlamp in fash mode and fix it to the kayak, and c) put the radio on my lap to allow me to call them. I tried to call one passing today but it did not answer; although I only tried once.
May the
berries on
September 11, 2005
Well, it was another great day! Got up
early to make the crossing from
The sky was mostly clear and there was little wind. During the crossing the wind kept threatening to rise up, but it never did. The whole day went the same way, about 50% or more blue skies and very little wind. As was the plan, I went all the way to Blue Mouse Cove, some eighteen miles. Arrived about eleven AM, making great time. Picked up the food and fishing gear previously cashed at the drop point and lashed it onto the top of the kayak, then paddled near the stream in Blue Mouse Cove and camped on a point nearby. Watched a black bear near the stream for some time. He/she seems to have a den near the stream location. I yelled and the bear went into the woods; that's what I like to see. Given the high usage of this area in the summer, this bear is unlikely to be a problem. If it had raided a camp before, the area would be closed for camping, and it is not.
Have some new ideas for getting more below deck in the kayak. Deflate the sponsons prior to loading then re-inflate them. That should give a critical inch or two of give in some key locations when sliding things in. Re-inflation should then lock much of the stuff in place. Not sure why I didn't think of this before.
My arms are very sore and tired. I really wanted to put in even more miles today; its hard to stop at eleven in the morning; even when you get on the water about six thirty, just before sunrise. However it would likely have led to injury or becoming weak the next day. Tomorrow I would like to make the northern end of Geikie Inlet where it looks like there should be camping spots. The south side looks cliffy for awhile and may not have pull out spots. Will soon check that on the electronic map with more detail. Two ten mile days should put me within striking range of the bay crossing. I would like to make that ASAP as the tides are now rapidly rising in amplitude each day. It all depends upon the weather; hopefully more of the same.
The wildlife is great in the cove. Just prior to entering thousands of ducks were arrayed all across the bay; must be one or two square miles of thick ducks. Perhaps they are getting ready to migrate. They make a racket when you have to paddle through them. The cove has loons and many other birds I can't identify; plus is has apparently (we'll know tomorrow morning) timid black bears as opposed to the bore grizzly of a few days ago.
Basically a perfect day; spent the rest of the day setting up camp and watching the scenery and wildlife. It is now seven PM and still very light although the sun has gone behind the mountain. The main thing is that there was a sun! I'm getting pretty lonely and feel quite exposed now that I appear to be the only kayaker in at least this arm of the park if not the entire park. The ranger said I'd probably have the park to myself now and that seems to be true except for the ##$%## cruise boats with their bit waves and the fear they will run you down during a crossing. Having no one else around really makes one feel exposed and vulnerable.
Currently the water across the arm is like glass; sure wish I could make the crossing now; but its twenty miles or so away from here.
September 12, 2005
Looking out the tent at 5:30 AM the seas were calm. The kayak got loaded quickly but with less rush than in the past few days; fewer miles to go today and much of it near shore. The goal was to make it about eleven miles to the north side of Geikie Inlet. That would allow getting in striking distance of the bay crossing the following day. Upon arriving at Geikie the seas were still calm. I was hesitant to head for the southern shore as there is a long cliffy section on that side and a ways after that. However its important to strike when conditions are right. All day I worked on a longer distance paddling stroke. I tend to go too hard and then tire out. On a bicycle I can pace myself and go indefinitely; not so with paddling. Its more difficult to judge because the paddling is never aerobic. The revised stroke has a slower cadence and less power applied. Since the effort per mile goes with the square of the velocity, a low power stroke and patience will take one farther prior to tiring and/or having the joints complain. This is especially true when going with the tide, albeit a very small tide.
With the
seas calm and a gently swirling wind we kept on going until past noon and
arrived about one mile north of
If the
crossing won't go I'll try to move camp out to
The drysuit now has three rips in the neck gasket and cannot be repaired anymore. I will just have to not tip over. Currently its cold and rainy but very cozy in the tent, assuming this evening's tide doesn't wash me out. If conditions are poor tomorrow I may hike along the shore to look for a higher camping area.
September 13, 2005
Woke up several times early and peeked out to look at the
conditions. Breaking waves could be heard on the shore much of the night. At
six it was too foggy to be a go, except perhaps to
I had tried fixing the dry suit gasket last night and thought I had it. Put it on and the fourth rip opened on the neck gasket. The crude backup was to take my neck warmer and tighten it with a velcro strap around my neck; trying to turn it into a slow leaker rather than a gusher. If the drysuit is needed I'm in trouble anyway. Tried calling Bartlett Cove on the radio to check reception - none. I'm all alone on this one.
At
Plan to
stay over for a day tomorrow although part of me just wants to keep moving.
Hard to stay put when by oneself. Definitely one feels
all alone during the crossings and bear encounters. Will make plans for a trip
through the
September 14, 2005
This was a day for recovery. Its very hard to stay put when alone as one gets bored and wants to be out paddling; however the sore shoulders don't agree. Spent most of the day reading mystery short stories, watching the humpback whales, and watching a black bear and cub graze around the camp area. The weather was perfect, mostly clear and cool, probably in the fifties all day. Finally I have retired to my tent with a view to read in sheltered comfort. The views from this point and the wildlife are just outstanding.
The
tentative goal for tomorrow is
September 15, 2005
Waited for close to high tide to make it through the northern passageway into the Beardlees. Actually I got impatient and pushed the loaded kayak over a few rocks to launch as I had loaded it up a little too high on the bank. My lack of patience cost dearly. Turns out I put a small hole in the bottom. With the sea sock one doesn't notice this but when I unloaded the kayak there was water in it and there never has been significant water in it before. There was perhaps a half gallon or so of water in the bottom. Put on a temporary fix to the very small hole with aquaseal and that should hold for now. Have decided there will only be one more day of paddling as a bunch of bad weather is coming. At this point I'm not enthused about sitting out in my tent in the rain by myself; given that I really really stink. One can wash the body but the clothes are the problem and there is no way to dry them once washed with the rainy weather. Tentatively I will stay over an extra day here and paddle in Saturday morning in the middle of the predicted rain. It is predicted to rain and blow pretty much for the next week starting tomorrow evening. Well, it was supposed to start tomorrow evening, turns out its raining right now.
Camped on the eastern most
portion of
September 18, 2005
Packed up early and came back to Bartlett Cove yesterday morning. The opening back was closed until high tide. I knew that but still couldn't get myself to sleep in. The river normally runs to the north into the Beardlees but a passage out to the cove opens at high tide. Paddled and pulled upstream to the upper opening and waited there for the tide to rise. There were anemones in the channel and it continued to drain from a pool higher up. Eventually the channel opened and I was fairly surprised. The thinking was that the coming tide would be an inch or so higher on the upstream, Bartlett Cove side as it has to pass through the narrows to make it there. Thought that would require an inch or so of head difference; instead there was six inches or more of head difference and the water came rushing through like a roaring river. Managed to paddle upstream through it with a lot of effort and staying in the backwaters. At the dock were a bunch of fishing boats; they open it up to others in the off season.
Camped at
September 19, 2005
Sitting in
Went to the local Alaskan Brewery and was fed much free beer; then went to the museum. Now sitting at the library checking email. Will stay at the hostel again tonight then head out very early tomorrow.