Mother Goose Leg 3, Day 3 – Hydaburg to Craig

We cast off from the docks in Hydaburg at 10 am and motored out of the harbor. Our route would take us through the Tlevak Narrows, known to the local native people as “skookum chuck” which means “fast water.” With every ebb and flood of the tides, vast volumes of water race through this narrow passage, creating enormous whirlpools and, at times, a vertical difference of as much as 12 feet between either side of the narrows. Of course, we timed our departure from Hydaburg so that we would arrive at the narrows just before slack tide. Thus, as we cruised through the channel, the waters were only slightly turbulent and a few small whirlpools and eddies spun languidly. Before long, we had pushed our way through what oncoming current there was, and cruised out of Tlevak Narrows towards Craig.

About half an hour after leaving the narrows, we rounded a rocky point with a large kelp bed growing off its tip. Just outside the kelp bed, a tall, black blade suddenly began to rise up from the surface of the water. It was soon followed by another, this one much more bent and gnarled. It was two bull orcas, cruising through the shallow waters near the kelp bed. One of these large animals had an irregular dorsal fin, giving him a very characteristic appearance. These magnificent animals were traveling the opposite direction as we were, and every member of the fleet was able to get a good look at them as they glided through the green waters. All too soon, they were behind us and disappearing out of sight. Happy to have had such a great encounter, we rounded the point and continued onward.

Craig was visible in the distance when we spotted a humpback whale off the port bow. We had seen at least one humpback each day since we began our voyage. Like the others we had seen so far, they put in a brief appearance, showed us their flukes and disappeared into the deep. The fleet continued onward, and within an hour we were docking in Craig’s north harbor.

The small town of Craig was bustling when we arrived. Commercial fishing boats filled the harbor, mending and coiling nets in preparation for the next opening. The hotels and fishing lodges in town seemed to be doing a lot of business, and cargo was being loaded onto a barge down at the waterfront. Everywhere, eagles swooped and soared in the sky. Some were perched majestically on pilings, while others fought not-so-majestically over fish carcasses. A small general store, a few hotels, a gift shop and a liquor store made up the downtown. We explored until there was nothing else left to explore before returning to the boats for the evening.

Mother Goose Leg 3, Day 2 – Charlie’s Cove to Hydaburg

A beautiful misty morning greeted us when we awoke in Charlie’s Cove. Our scheduled departure time was 10 am, so we took our time and enjoyed a relaxing beginning to our day. After breakfast, we began raising anchor and began our trip to Hydaburg. As our boats slipped out of Charlie’s Cove, we saw a sea otter lounging in the kelp as well as some harbor seals hauled out on a nearby rock. Marine mammal sightings are a very common occurrence in this part of the world, and we felt lucky to be cruising in such company.

Hydaburg is only a short distance away from Charlie’s Cove, so we wouldn’t be cruising more than a few hours today. Before long, a plume of mist appeared off the port bow. This mist was followed shortly after by a large dark gray back topped with a knobby dorsal fin and, finally, by the enormous tail (called the flukes) of a humpback whale. Each animal’s flukes are colored with a unique pattern of black and white markings. By comparing fluke photos, scientists are able to identify individuals and track them from year to year. Unfortunately, this animal only put in a short appearance before vanishing into the still waters.

As we cruised on, the skies went from overcast to partly cloudy, and the sun shone down across the verdant landscape. We reached Hydaburg in the early afternoon and pulled into the harbor. After all the boats were tied up and everyone was settled, we ventured into the small town. Near the head of the dock was a small building which served as the administrative office for the Haida Cooperative Association, a group which runs many of the tribe’s affairs. In this office we met a wonderful woman named Lisa, who gave us a ride to the tribe’s carving shed on the other side of town. Here, master carvers and their apprentices were carving all sorts of beautiful handcrafts, including two enormous totem poles that were being carved to replace older poles which had fallen victim to the ravages of time. The original poles were laid out on sawhorses, and the new poles were laid alongside. Figure by figure, the carvers were creating replicas of the weathered old poles. Everyone was very friendly, and they told us all about the carving process, showed us their tools, and some of their finished pieces.

When we were finally able to tear ourselves away from the carving shed, we explored the rest of the town. Besides a little market and a park with a number of incredible totem poles, Hydaburg consisted mostly of small homes, friendly dogs and even friendlier people. We returned to the boats in the evening very happy with our visit to town. After dinner, the crew from Inside Passage went out in their dinghy and set their crab pots. An amazing sunset turned the whole western sky a rosy peach color and we were all in bed long before it had faded into darkness.

Mother Goose Leg 3, Day 1 - Ketchikan to Charlie’s Cove

Our latest adventure began at 7 am, on an incredibly calm morning in Ketchikan, Alaska. The weather for the past two days had been horrendous. Strong winds blew the continual rainfall sideways, as whitecaps covered the Tongass Narrows. So, everyone was very pleased to wake up to partly cloudy skies and not a breath of wind. The weather conditions made our departure easy, as everyone cast off from the docks in Bar Harbor and motored out into the still waters of the Tongass Narrows. Each of the goslings fell into line behind Deception, and thus Leg 3 of Mother Goose 2010 had begun.
We began our day by cruising south, away from Ketchikan and out into Clarence Strait. Because of the foul weather over the past few days, we expected to see some bumpy seas as we cruised through the straits and into the exposed waters of Dixon Entrance. As we cruised along, however, only a few small waves rippled the ocean’s surface. The seabirds were out in full force. Everywhere we looked, we saw groups of common murres floating along the surface. These handsome tuxedo-print birds “fly” underwater to pursue the small fish on which they feed. In this part of the world, the chicks had recently grown large enough to leave the nest. When this happens, the males lead their single chick out to good foraging grounds and teach them how to fish. As we cruised along, we saw several of these father-juvenile pairs fishing in the still waters.

As we rounded the southern tip of Prince of Wales Island and became fully exposed to the Pacific Ocean, a bit of ocean swell caused the boats to bob up and down. Still, the wind remained low and the ocean’s surface smooth, giving us a ride that was smooth overall. Along the way, we spotted several humpback whales feeding along the rocky shoreline. We weren’t able to get as close a look at these animals as we might have liked, but we took it as a good sign of potential encounters to come. Before long, we moved in behind the protection of the barrier islands. We rounded a headland called Point Marsh, and wove our way through a series of small islets and exposed rocks until, at last, we reached Charlie’s Cove, our anchorage for the evening. Immediately after we pulled in, we spotted 3 Sitka black-tailed deer on the shore, a bald eagle soaring over the boats, and a sea otter frolicking in a kelp bed.

After everyone had dropped anchor, we all took time to get settled in, nap, read, and just generally relax in the beautiful setting. As dinnertime rolled around, we all gathered on Deception to enjoy appetizers, cocktails, and a wonderful potluck style dinner. We feasted on freshly baked bread, wild rice, salad, wild Alaskan salmon, and boysenberry pie. We dispersed for the evening well-fed and ready to crawl into bed after our long day of cruising.

Mother Goose Leg 2, Day 7 - Punchbowl Lagoon to Ketchikan

Early this morning, the crews of Deception and Mystic Eagle joined together for a now-traditional pre-departure breakfast. With bellies full of bacon, eggs, and coffee, we raised our anchors and left the beautiful Walker Cove. It was now almost second nature for us to turn left and continue our trip through Behm Canal. Once again, Deception was towing the Miss Claire and our crew had the pleasure of Stan and Cheryl’s company for our longest day’s cruise. The seas were calm, but the Misty Fjords were certainly living up to their name. Wispy clouds threaded through the trees, giving the forests an almost ethereal appearance.

Shortly after leaving Walker Cove we passed the famous New Eddystone Rock. This towering spire thrusts 237 feet above the water’s edge. A few hardy trees cling to the top of the rock, but other than that the only vegetation is shrubs and grass. Captain George Vancouver named the rock for its resemblance to the lighthouse rock off of Plymouth, England. He described the rock as looking like a ship under sail, and it wasn’t too much of a stretch of the imagination to see the silhouette of an old tall ship making its way up the canal. We left the impressive landmark behind us and continued on toward Ketchikan.

Before long, we saw the signature rooster-tail splashes of Dall’s porpoise racing through the green waters. These little marine mammals must have been feeling playful because they didn’t take long to swim to our boats and frolic in the bow waves. Once they had their fill, they darted off across the channel and disappeared in the distance. The rest of the day was smooth sailing. High wind warnings had been issued for the surrounding areas, but when we left Behm Canal and cruised up into Tongass Narrows, the seas were flat and the wind was calm. It was only a few short hours before we began to see the southern edge of Ketchikan. Upon arriving, we tied up at the fuel dock and refilled our boats before heading to the Bar Harbor Marina, just north of downtown. Everyone met up for one last (outstanding) dinner at the Bar Harbor Restaurant. We shared stories and reminisced about our adventure, each of us sad to have our adventure ending, but leaving with memories we would treasure forever.

Mother Goose Leg 2, Day 6 - Walker Cove to Punchbowl Lagoon

Before leaving Walker Cove, we checked our crab pots and were pleased to see that this too was an excellent spot for crabbing. Between all of the pots we caught 17 crab. These, like those we had caught over the previous days were promptly cleaned and cooked to be ready for the fleet’s consumption. This trip had made us experts in crab cuisine. We ate cracked crab, crab dips, crab salad, crab louie, crab omelets. The list goes on and on. So, with our newest supply of crab taken care of, we hauled anchor and continued our journey, this time with Miss Claire in tow behind Deception.
Punchbowl Lagoon is only a short cruise down Behm Canal from Walker Cove. It is actually a small offshoot of the much larger Rudyerd Bay, which extends much farther back into the mountainous mainland. We turned into Rudyerd Bay and then into Punchbowl Lagoon where we were blown away by the incredible scenery. Here, the huge rocky mountains were scooped out in a large glacial cirque, creating the bowl-like landscape which gives the area its name. Sheer cliffs rose up all around our anchorage, dwarfing our boats with their towering heights. All around, thin streams of water leapt from edges of the mountains, free-falling for thousands of feet and splashing down into the bay. We decided that this anchorage would be suitable for our purposes, and dropped anchor.

After a short break for lunch, we hopped into our dinghies and embarked upon another dinghy exploration. This time, we left Punchbowl Lagoon and headed inland, up toward the head of Rudyerd Bay. It was a long trip, so we opened up the throttle and sped up the length of the bay. All around us, the scenery continued to amaze with its beauty. Here and there, wide grassy expanses spread out along the shoreline. We watched intently for bears, but did not see any on this trip. When we had thoroughly explored the bay, we turned around and headed back to the boats. Shortly after our arrival, Inside Passage again spotted a bear on the beach. This time it was a large black bear, which lumbered down the beach for a few minutes before disappearing in the forest.

As this was our last night at sea, we rafted Mystic Eagle and Deception together and held our traditional last supper and talent show. The food was incredible and as usual there was far too much for us to possibly finish. The main course was all we could eat of freshly caught Dungeness crab. After dinner, we began the talent show. We were a talented group, and the submissions had us laughing, tearing up, and grateful for the wonderful experiences we had been able to enjoy over the past week. When the talent show wound up, we said our goodnights and returned to our boats to get some much needed rest.

Mother Goose Leg 2, Day 5 - Fitzgibbon Cove to Walker Cove

Any trace of the wind that had blown the day before had disappeared when we hauled anchor and left Fitzgibbon Cove. Our day’s run was not a long one. We again turned left into Behm Canal and continued onwards, keeping Revillagigedo Island to our right and the mainland to our left as we had been doing throughout our expedition. The scenery continued to impress us, with rocky crags towering thousands of feet above us and the seabed more than 1800 feet below us. We passed the mouth of the Chickamin River, which flows down a broad, densely forested valley before emptying into Behm Canal. The silt from the river gave the water an incredible blue-green hue. It was not long before we passed Hut Point and turned into the mouth of Walker Cove.

If everything we had seen before was beautiful, Walker Cove was nothing short of gorgeous. It is difficult to put into words the grandeur of this setting. Mountains higher than any we had yet seen soared up from the water’s edge at vertical or near-vertical angles. Hanging lakes high up on the mountainsides fed raging waterfalls which cascaded and tumbled nearly a mile down exposed rock before plunging into the sea. The area’s glacial history was readily observed here, with a multitude hanging valleys and glacial cirques all around us. The sheer rock walls on the either side of the cove were marked with long horizontal grooves, remnants of deep gouges dug thousands of years ago by large boulders frozen into the glaciers and dragged for many miles against the underlying bedrock. Despite the inhospitable conditions, life thrived here. Trees and shrubs clung to the impossibly steep slopes. Seabirds and seals swam in the deep water of the cove.

We anchored up near the mouth of a stream, next to a long, low grassy shoreline which looked like perfect bear spotting territory. After everyone was all settled in, everyone climbed into their dinghies and Casey led a tour up to the head of Walker Cove. The bears did not put in an appearance, but judging by the scenery they couldn’t have been too far away. At one shallow beach we landed the dinghies and got out to look around. A stream flowed onto the beach from back in the forest and tall sedge grass grew all over the top of the beach. Huge rocky peaks sat on either side of the beach, dwarfing the meadow, the forest, and us with their gargantuan slopes. We poked around the beach for a while longer, then climbed aboard the dinghies and returned to where the fleet was anchored.

Anchored next to us was a small aluminum boat called Miss Claire. When we returned, her crew came over to Deception in their dinghy and told us that they were having engine trouble and asked if we would be willing to tow them back to Ketchikan. We were more than happy to oblige, and so our fleet gained another boat for the next two days. Miss Claire’s crew consisted of Stan, Cheryl, and their dog Oly. They were very friendly people and they made a good short-term addition to our crew.

Shortly after dinner, an excited Morgan of Inside Passage got on the radio to tell us that she had spotted a bear. Sure enough, over on the beach right by where our boats were anchored, a large brown bear was lounging in the sedge grass. The bear did not seem at all bothered by our presence and he remained on the beach a while longer before ambling up into the forest. It certainly was a good way to end a fantastic day.

Mother Goose Leg 2, Day 4 - Yes Bay to Fitzgibbon Cove

This morning we pulled our crab pots one last time and once again found them filled with a multitude of delicious crabs. With that done, we left the beautiful Yes Bay behind and cruised onward toward our next anchorage, Fitzgibbon Cove. We motored out of Yes Bay and turned left to continue our voyage up Behm Canal. The sun was shining and the waters were pleasant and calm. We hadn’t traveled more than a mile when suddenly, off in the distance, a misty column appeared that could only be the blow of a whale. Soon, a tall black dorsal fin cut through the surface of the water, then another and another. We had spotted a pod of orcas swimming, fishing, and frolicking in the waters of Behm Canal. As we approached, the whales switched directions and traveled along with the fleet, coming very close to the boats. At one point, two of the animals swam directly below Mystic Eagle! It soon became clear that there were more animals than we first believed. There were at least two large bulls, their enormous black dorsal fins towering 6 feet or more above the water’s surface. A mother and calf swam with the group, as well as a number of females and an adolescent male. All in all, there were likely 10 or more animals spread out around the boats and across the channel. These magnificent animals stayed with us for around 45 minutes, swimming alongside us as we cruised onward. They treated us to quite a show, tail-lobbing and spyhopping right near the boats, giving us an incredible view of their enormous black and white bodies. All good things must come to an end, and as we turned right and continued on into Behm Narrows, the whales dropped back and went back to fishing.

We pressed on toward Fitzgibbon Cove, elated after our incredible encounter with the orcas. As we cruised between Bell Island and Revillagigedo Island, we passed the site of the now closed Bell Island Resort. This remote lodge has been around for a very long time and was once a favorite destination of celebrities such as John Wayne and Bing Crosby. The facility looks like it could use remodeling, but all of the original buildings are still standing. All day, the mountains around us had been increasing in height and they were now consistently capped in snow. We turned into Fitzgibbon Cove in the early afternoon and dropped anchor. The wind had picked up a bit, so we were glad to hole up in our sheltered anchorage. Encouraged by our prior success, we set crab pots immediately upon arriving. Our afternoon was spent relaxing and enjoying the beautiful scenery around us. Across Behm Canal, two particularly magnificent peaks rose up, cloaked in crisp white snow. Before long, the sun was setting and the moon hung high over the mountains. Once again worn out by an incredible day cruising in Southeast Alaska, everyone went to bed and dreamed about what the next day would bring.

Mother Goose Leg 2, Day 3 - Yes Bay Lay Day

The sun rose into a cloudless blue sky over the beautiful Yes Bay this morning. Those members of the fleet who had decided to go fishing rose early as well, making their way over to the lodge to prepare for a day hunting the monsters of the deep. The rest of the fleet made a more relaxed morning of it, waiting until around 9:30 am to climb aboard Deception and head over to Bailey Bay for a hike to Shelokem Lake and the natural hot springs found there. It was a perfect morning to be cruising in Southeast Alaska. The sun was shining, the seas were glassy, the air was warm, and the scenery was spectacular. Bailey Bay lies just up Behm Canal from Yes Bay, and it took us only around 45 minutes to get there. Upon arriving, we anchored up and headed ashore to begin our hike.

Healthy, lush forest covered the landscape as we walked toward the lake. Dense undergrowth crowded around the trail, giving us the feeling we were walking through a living green tunnel. All around us were berry bushes: blueberries, salmonberries, thimbleberries, currants and more. Only a few of the berries were nearing ripeness, but in a few short weeks this whole area would be a bear heaven. As we continued onward, we began to hear the roar of rushing water. Our trail led us right across a wide, but shallow stream which tumbled down the hillside. Fortunately, we came prepared with rubber boots or water shoes. Carefully, we forded the stream and continued onward. We soon heard the roar of a much larger waterfall up ahead. As we emerged on the shore of Lake Shelokem, we found ourselves directly at the top of an enormous waterfall that cascaded down a steep rocky escarpment and eventually flowed down into the head of Bailey Bay. It was an incredible experience to stand at the top of the falls and breathe in the fresh air with a vast expanse of wilderness stretching out below us.

In Chinook jargon “Shelokem” means “looking glass” or “mirror.” We could certainly see how the lake earned its name, reflecting the rocky mountain peaks which rose up on all sides. The Alaska State Forest Service provides a canoe in which visitors can paddle across the lake to the hot springs, but it appeared that someone else had arrived before us and taken the boat. So, we continued on the trail along the shore of the lake. The terrain was much more difficult on this stretch, and the going was slow. The landscape was composed of huge granite boulders all jumbled on top of one another, with a forest grown on top. As a result, we found our trail passed through a number of small caves and overhangs. Before long, we saw two people and a dog paddling toward us in the canoe. The told us we were had about half a mile to go, but that the hot springs were hotter than usual and they hadn’t even been able to go in them. So, we sat down there on the edge of the lake and ate our lunch. We decided to turn around and make our way back down to Deception. We arrived on the beach about an hour and a half later, tired and happy. What an incredible day!

As the shore party was having its grand adventure, the fisherpeople were having a great day of their own. They returned to Yes Bay just as Deception was pulling in to anchor. Their prizes of the day: a 40 lb halibut, a 60 lb halibut, a 25 lb king salmon, a 30 lb king salmon and quite a few rockfish. Not bad for one day on the water! Everyone was worn out from a fun, adventure-filled day. We had set our crab pots before leaving for the day’s activities and we returned to find them loaded with enormous Dungeness crab. They were quickly cooked, cracked and distributed amongst the fleet. The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent relaxing in the sun, eating dinner and for most of us, retiring early.

Mother Goose Leg 2, Day 2 – Naha Bay to Yes Bay

After our late night by the bonfire, we decided on the leisurely departure time of 10 am. Deception had put out its crab pots before the bonfire the evening prior, and Brian Jr. and Josh picked them up in the morning. They returned successful, with 4 keepers ready to be cleaned and cooked. When everyone was ready to go, we weighed anchor and left Naha Bay. Once we were back in Behm Canal, we took a right and continued onward toward Misty Fjords. Not a breath of wind stirred the surface of the water and we might as well have been cruising on a mill pond. This made for perfect wildlife spotting conditions. In addition to a number of seabirds, including some rare and interesting species, we saw a large group of Dall’s porpoise feeding in the distance. The black and white animals streaked through the water, sending up tall rooster-tails of water each time they surfaced. The crew of Navigator was especially lucky, as these playful porpoises decided to come ride their bow. Hopefully this was the first of many marine mammal sightings for this trip.

Our anchorage for the evening was Yes Bay, home of the Yes Bay Fishing Lodge. This somewhat odd name is actually derived from the language of the local native people. “Yas” means mussel to the Tlingit, and the bay was certainly full of the shiny black shellfish, which coated every surface of the rocks near the water’s edge. At some point in the area’s history, Yas Bay became Yes Bay, the name it currently holds. We anchored our boats in a small cove just around the corner from the beautiful Yes Bay Lodge. Having called ahead, we were able to make reservations for all 13 members of the fleet to eat dinner up at the lodge. So, at 5 pm we dinghied over to the lodge’s dock and headed inside. The service was wonderful and we enjoyed drinks and appetizers (including delicious crab cakes) before sitting down to eat a feast of caesar salad, freshly caught halibut, and sautéed vegetables, followed by a delicious chocolate cake. No one was hungry when our plates were taken away.

We were so impressed by the lodge and by the beauty of the surrounding area that we decided to postpone our departure and spend an extra day in Yes Bay. Some of our crew will be going out fishing during the lay day, while others will be heading to the nearby Bailey Bay to enjoy a hike to a beautiful lake and some natural hot springs. Just another day on Mother Goose 2010!

Mother Goose Leg 2, Day 1 – Ketchikan to Naha Bay

A beautiful, calm Ketchikan morning greeted us on the first day of our newest adventure. Everyone was eager to cast off and begin our excursion into the wilderness, so we cruised out of the harbor at 8 am and began our journey to the Misty Fjords National Monument. We turned right and headed up Tongass Narrows, moving through one last traffic jam of cruise ships and float planes before leaving the outskirts of town and the cares of the civilized world behind. About 10 miles north of Ketchikan, we passed Totem Bight Historical Park, which houses a beautiful and ornate replica of a Tlingit long house as well as a collection of impressive totem poles. These artifacts stand on the site of a summer fishing village utilized by the native people before the arrival of the European colonists. The towering totem poles stood a solemn watch on the grassy hillside as we cruised slowly past.
Shortly after passing Totem Bight, we left the Tongass Narrows and headed inland, up Behm Canal. The waters were flat calm, the sky was a pleasant high overcast, and the air was comfortably warm. The fleet wove through a series of small islands, keeping Revillagigedo Island to our right, as we would be doing for the next week. After only a few hours of cruising up the beautiful Behm Canal we turned into Naha Bay, our destination for the night. Mystic Eagle was able to tie up to the small dock near the head of the bay, and Navigator rafted along her port side. Deception and Inside Passage rafted together farther out in the bay.
After taking an hour or two for lunch, our naturalist Casey led a walk from the head of the dock up onto a boardwalk than runs along the shore of the nearby Roosevelt Lagoon. This peaceful lagoon is home to an abundance of wildlife including black bears, moose, beaver, mink, and rare trumpeter swans. Our cheerful chatter likely scared many of these animals away, but we still enjoyed the peaceful beauty of the temperate rainforest. Along the way, we saw where bears had dug up the roots of skunk cabbage, one of their favorite foods in the early summer before the bulk of the berries ripen. We also saw signs of Sitka black-tailed deer and found some of the first ripe blueberries and salmonberries.
When we returned from the walk, everyone piled into their dinghies to check out the lagoon from the water. To enter Roosevelt Lagoon, your entry must be timed perfectly with the tide. Enter on too low a tide, and you will find a 4 foot vertical difference between the lagoon and the bay, with a waterfall raging down the rapids. Linger too long after the high tide and the same rapids will trap you inside the lagoon. Once inside, we followed the water’s edge, looking for wildlife and taking in the beautiful scenery. Before long, we had spotted the first black bear of the trip, standing in a grassy patch on the shoreline, munching away at the vegetation. The wind was blowing in our faces, carrying our scent and the noise of our motors away from the animal. We were able to get quite close, offering us an incredible look at this animal in its natural setting.
Finally, our thirst for adventure quenched, we returned to the boats. Everyone came over to Deception at 7 for appetizers, cocktails, and a delicious salmon feast. After dinner, with full bellies and light hearts, we went back ashore for a bonfire. Near the small dock, there was a shelter with a fire pit. After a few attempts, we were able to coax a great campfire out of some wet wood we found nearby. As the fire blazed, we shared stories, jokes and tips on cooking the perfect s’more (for the record, Bud Gould is the reigning grandmaster of s’more making). As the moon set, we made our way back to the boats and retired after our long and busy day.

Mother Goose Leg 1, Day 24 – Foggy Bay to Ketchikan

Our last lifting of the anchors on leg 1 of Mother Goose 2010… some threatened to never un-raft (ever!) but we all reluctantly made the final cruise up to Ketchikan, AK. After we all got settled into Bar Marina people started to pack and make hotel and travel arrangements. All except the boys of Mystic Eagle that is. Apparently they were having too much fun and weren’t ready to return to their regular lives quite yet. Conveniently enough, Mystic Eagle was available for leg 2 through Misty Fjords National Monument and Rick, Hal, & RJ Cree decided to jump on the opportunity to stay onboard for another week.  We look forward to sharing another adventure with the Crees!

All of the boats decided to have a last dinner in town together and went to Annabel’s, a Ketchikan staple. We ate, drank, laughed, cried, and vowed to always keep in touch. It’s amazing the bonds that are formed while immersed in nature and out on the water. The sea is a magical place that demands respect but in return can show tolerance and introduce you to a world of wonders that will not soon be forgotten. This is a notion that Mother Goosers understand all too well and although we say goodbye to her for now, we look forward to the day we can respectfully return to her affectionate embrace.

Mother Goose Leg 1, Day 23 – Prince Rupert to Foggy Bay

We were all anxious to leave Prince Rupert this morning and return to the solitude of a small anchorage for our last night at sea. Foggy Bay provided us a remote cove in which we all rafted together. Snuggled together, we prepared for our final evening together as adventurous mariners, before we ended our journey tomorrow in Ketchikan. To celebrate our accomplishment, Deception hosted “The Last Supper” in which everyone prepared whatever leftover provisions they had, and we all dined together. Food was aplenty and all reminisced about the last month and the amazing experiences we all lived. To everyone’s amusement we also had a talent show where each vessel put on their own talent. Laughter filled Deception’s saloon and poured out the windows as Ed recited his poem regarding the crew of Deception, the Brantley’s sung an old sea shanty full of vivid gestures and Murray and RJ performed a hysterical skit/joke. Tears started forming during Sue’s moving poem of her experiences on Mother Goose and they continued through a slide show of pictures from the entire leg produced by the crew of Deception. We started this adventure with high hopes of a great time, and ended with lives changed. New friendships were solidified and indelibly ingrained memories were created. Tomorrow we head to Ketchikan and, unfortunately, our ways must part. All we have in life are our encounters with others and the world around us, and NW Explorations is unbelievably grateful for the enrichment of the people and experiences that have been brought into our lives.

Mother Goose Leg 1, Day 22 - Prince Rupert Lay Day

Our lay day in Prince Rupert was spent touring the town, browsing shops and enjoying espresso amidst cow painted tables and pictures. It was nice to be able to provision with fresh produce and buy some local souvenirs, but we are all anxious to get back out onto the water. Tomorrow we will be leaving B.C. and crossing into Alaska heading for Foggy Bay. We are all looking forward to getting back to nature and the beautiful remoteness of the area for one last night. I think it’s safe to say we’ve become spoiled by being the only boats in an anchorage spot. Tomorrow we will head to Foggy Bay and anchor for the final time of what has turned out to be an unbelievable and remarkable adventure. We are sad to have it be coming to an end, but look forward to our “last supper” together in which Deception will host a potluck dinner for all of the boats. I have a feeling the dinner will last well into the night…

Mother Goose Leg 1, Day 21 – Newcombe Harbour to Prince Rupert

Today we left our remote sanctuary behind and headed for civilization. Fair winds, calm seas, and sunshine were with us again, providing another fantastic day of cruising. As we neared Prince Rupert we began seeing signs of life, and not the marine and aviary kind we’ve grown accustomed to. We saw paved roads, a full size grocery store, souvenir shops, cafes, and even buses. We saw groups of the homosapian species with juveniles in tow which we haven’t seen in this large of numbers in almost a month.
All of our boats were able to tie along the docks at the Prince Rupert Rowing & Yacht Club, which is located right in the heart of “downtown” Prince Rupert. There seem to be several cute little shops and restaurants which we’ll likely explore during our lay day tomorrow. The local bay is known as Cow Bay and the town has definitely used that as its theme. There is Cow Bay Café and Cowpaccino’s to grab a latte while walking around the cow painted street markers, garbage cans, building walls, and large cow scenes with cut outs to put your heads in for pictures. Tomorrow we’ll have the opportunity to get the full Prince Rupert experience.

Mother Goose Leg 1, Day 20 – Patterson Inlet to Newcombe Harbour

This last portion of our adventure just seems to be flying by. It’s hard to believe that we will be in Ketchikan by the end of the week. We are savoring every moment of it and fortunately the weather over the last few days has been absolutely beautiful. More blue skies and calm waters guided us on our cruise to Newcombe Harbour today. The route to Newcombe was filled with scenic islands scattered about. Slews of rocks hid just under the surface waiting to startle a passing vessel. Our Grand Banks snuggled together in order to avoid being startled and safely traverse these concealed obstacles. Once through the gauntlet, the islands opened up into the crystal clear waters and open sky of Petrel Channel. Captain Brian decided to give the skippers of the vessels a thrill by having them open up their engines and cruise full throttle. It was a magnificent sight to see these beautiful boats cut through the sea tossing a wake behind them like a prize stallion just let out of the gate. You could tell the skippers were giddy with excitement over the power unleashed beneath them. Arctic Star and Mystic Eagle seemed to jockey back and forth creating a trail of large roller coaster waves which seemed to mimic the arcs of the peaks above them. The goslings beat Deception into Newcombe Harbour and found their own anchorage spots to cozy into for the evening. Inside Passage rafted to Deception and hosted dinner for them. It was like a Thanksgiving feast with plate after plate of pure deliciousness! After Annie’s fantastic meal, we headed for the shore of Pitt Island to have another bonfire. Jordan and Casey gathered firewood while Captain Brian collected some expired flares to use as a match. After dousing the fire pit with gasoline, Captain Brain took aim and fired into the piled wood… four flares later (including one smoke flare which covered us in a sheet of orange smoke) we had a fantastic bonfire ablaze which burned well into the night, keeping us warm, safe, and happy.

Mother Goose Leg 1, Day 19 – Hawk Bay to Patterson Inlet

Deception and Mystic Eagle had rafted together last night and decided to co-host breakfast this morning. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the sun was already warming us, which made for a very pleasant Sunday morning. We left our anchorage in Hawk Bay and headed across Otter Channel toward our next stop, Patterson Bay. Our Grand Banks cut through the placid waters amidst the panorama of layered islands and hillsides. These layers were all around us and continued as far as the eyes can see, lightening in hues until they faded out into the atmosphere, unable to differentiate peak from sky. About halfway through our cruise we received a radio call from Jenn on Inside Passage which we could barely make out due to the screaming from Annie in the background. We could hear the excitement but where were they looking?? What were they seeing?? Then we saw it… just off to Deception’s beam was a pod of orcas! These were transient, meaning they feed primarily on other marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and porpoises. Transient orcas generally travel in pods no larger than 10 individuals; we counted 8 animals in the group. We stopped our engines and floated in the water watching these beautiful creatures. The pod was comprised of several females, a calf, and 2 BIG bull males. Grown adult males can have dorsal fins up to six feet long and one of these bulls’ fins must have been close to that. They were cruising at a leisurely pace, providing us with a wonderful opportunity to take pictures and delight in their presence. The weather was the best we’ve had and the serenity of watching this pod of orcas made us truly appreciative of this experience. The largest bull orca made several slaps of his tail, letting us know he was there and protective of his females. We eventually had to move on and leave the orcas to their travels, but it was an unforgettable experience for us all.

We pulled into Patterson Bay, another absolutely gorgeous spot, where we anchored and immediately took advantage of the fantastic weather. Some explored the rocky, jagged coastline, intermingling with harbor seals and viewing vibrantly colored starfish. Others took their dinghies to the south bay to drop crab pots. On Eddy and Murray’s exploration of the south bay they stumbled upon a black bear who was just 10 yards from them up on shore. The bear didn’t seem to be bothered by their presence as it lay down to enjoy a snack and a nap right in front of them. They didn’t end up catching any crab after that experience I don’t think Eddy and Murray minded too much.

Mother Goose Leg 1, Day 18 – Culpepper Lagoon to Hawk Bay

An ethereal mist lingered over the still waters of Culpepper Lagoon. We could have stayed here for days, weeks, perhaps never have left. Maybe we could have formed our own little Grand Banks community and lived off the land and sea. The journey must go on, of course, and the tide was right to exit the narrows so we raised anchor and headed for Hawk Bay. We were grateful both that we were able to experience a place such as this and that a place like this still exists in this world. Culpepper Lagoon is meant to be shared with the lucky few whose lives find their way into its embrace. We take our memories of this wondrous sanctuary and leave only a small wake in our trail as we return the lagoon to its natural habitants- hoping they continue to thrive.

We left the lagoon, headed back down Kynoch Inlet to Mathieson Channel. From here there was a short maze of passages and channels through which we meandered until we connected with Princess Royal Channel. From there, we cruised along mainland B.C. and the east side of Princess Royal Island en route to Hawk Bay, 85 miles to the north. A whale made a brief appearance before diving out of sight and we were able to see a brown bear foraging on shore. However, all of our eyes were peeled for Spirit bears. These bears’ primary population is centered in this part of the world. Although a rare sight, one was seen along this route last year, and we had hoped another would decide to show itself this year.

A point of interest along the way was Butedale on Princess Royal Island. This is the site of a former cannery which has fallen into complete disrepair. The buildings are dilapidated and falling down and the docks barely accessible. However, there is a beautiful waterfall next to the cannery ruins which makes for a breathtaking site. A lone caretaker remains onsite, selling homemade ice cream to passing travelers.

As we neared Hawk Bay, we proceeded through another series of narrow channels, passages and islands that made us thankful for our charts. It would be very easy to get turned around within the labyrinth waterways and land masses. The sky had fully cleared of clouds and its warmth and vibrant blue hues enveloped us as we entered Hawk Bay, making the water looked deceivingly inviting. We made our anchorage in this serene little bay, all the while being watched by several bald eagles perched high above us. It was a perfect evening and the bay was full of life. There were large jelly fish and enormous polychaete worms (think 18 inch swimming centipedes) meandering all around the boats. This sparked the scientists in Casey and Sue and they spent their evening researching the mysteries of life within Hawk Bay – well, at least the marine life that would fit in a small vial.