Jacob, kayaker from Sweden, joined the Church of Chocolate. Seems we both think that chocolate-powered big-mileage days are the way to go.
We left Ketchikan at 5am, hoping to sneak in some miles before the predicted storm. Crossing Behm Channel and then around Caamano Point seeming to be the critical stretch given the southerly winds and swell. Got lucky to get in some wild and exciting miles during that crossing, weather picking up much earlier than forecasted and by 8am it was clear it would be pouring hard pretty soon. Just as the wind picked up really hard, a small island just 1/2 mile before Caamano Point. My GPS suggested that it might have a SE facing beach promising possible and protected landing. And all just in the exact moment as the skies decided to start dumping. So what do you do when you come to an island, likely being stranded there for many hours?
Well, turns out a good strategy is: huddle to quickly put up your tarp and collect as much as (not fully wet) drift wood as you can and get the fire going.
In fact, we collected more wood in 30 mins than we could burn over the next 12 hours, and pitched a 2nd tarp making a great hangout spot. Couldn’t have picked a better spot to hunker down during a storm. Got to dry out all gear, and dig deep into the freshly restocked food supplies. Read a book and wander through the rain forest this little island hosts. Can’t complain!
Next day made for some more entertaining paddling. Swell was still up a bit, nice 10–15mph S winds blowing. Wonderful downwind surfing for about 15 miles. I think I got some of my best surfs in ever. A bit tricky with a boat loaded with camping gear, food for ~10 days and 20 liters of water — definitely close to nose-diving a few times…
(don’t really have any pictures of that, kinda to busy with kayaking…)
Vixen Harbor was home for the next night. Beautiful sheltered spot (after 30miles in the wind it’s actually nice to get out of it for the night…). Optimistically pitched the tent outside of the trees (found lots of bear scat, old and fresh, in the little forest) — not a good decision as I had to find out. First time being flooded for real. I guess that’s an experience everyone just has to make at least once on this trip.
But otherwise rather beautiful here ;)
Inspired by the big miles the human-powered R2AK boaters (whom we had met in Ketchikan) had been putting in, we did a big push into Wrangel the next day, with 52 miles marking my longest paddling day on this trip (and ever, actually). Calm conditions, with a slight S wind in our favor certainly helped a bit. But it was also just beautiful and peaceful, but barely any other boat traffic and just big mountainous islands all around. A day where you just listen to music or your thoughts and get carried away…
The finish was grandiose. Got to Wrangel at 8pm and were allowed pitch our tents on the public dock next to the floating plane (called the harbor master via VHF and he said “we usually don’t do that but why not…”).
This being a public dock, a laundromat and shower building as well as a bar with pizza wasn’t too far. We happily made use of all these facilities, had some nice chats with locals, and by 11pm were soundly asleep in our tents, just in time for the next prolonged downpour to start. This Alaska paddling life is mighty OK!
