A few highlights though... Krestof Sound was a great place to anchor up and play for an evening. We found a little beach that was only available during low tide and lit a campfire. Joe and Pat turned over a bunch of big rocks and found crabs everywhere. Levi poked around in a fortress of old trees and moss and found the Holy Grail of beachcombing--a small glass float. At first, he didn't grasp the enormity of what he found--then Dad and Uncle both informed him they had each only ever found one, and that was when they were kids!
We poked around the old Chichagof gold mine in Klag Bay, up at the very head of Khaz Bay. For once, we were the only boat in the anchorage. It was beautiful and quiet. It was fun ducking through the trees and poking through ruins, treading carefully on old foundations and climbing hills of mine tailings. After a particularly tough hill to climb, Pat announced he found the entrance to the old mine. Somehow, the four kids and Joe and I made it up that slippery hill, rocks sliding down from our feet the whole way up. Totally worth it, though. We found equipment left from a crew who attempted to reopen the mine back in the mid-1980s and although the entrance was completely barricaded by a cave-in, we stuck our heads inside the mine, just to say we have been inside. Thankfully, the way down was much less precarious, having found the old road up to the mine.
After Klag Bay, it was time to cruise the inside route through Ogden Passage and Portlock Harbor, out to the Gulf via Imperial Passage. The whole crew was itching for a stop at White Sulphur Hot Springs! Even though Joe had our track recorded on our chart from the last trip into the West Arm of Mirror Harbor, he still asked Pat and I to stand bow watch on the way in. Still a little nerve-wracking to see rocks underwater that close to the hull... Kyrie made it through the gauntlet safely and Joe and I anchored her up. Then it was time to pack up food and swim gear and hike to the springs!
Later that evening, Joe checked our e-mail and we were tickled to discover that our new friends aboard SV Arctic Monkey were due to arrive at the springs the next day. We met the Morgans the day before we left on this trip, having connected via the Boatschooled Facebook page. They have three girls, close to the ages of our kids, and Rachael especially clicked with their middle daughter, Leah. We had talked up the springs so much to them and now they were going to be able to meet us here! I love that we were able to share a place we love so much with new friends.
After a difficult good-bye to our friends, we went our separate ways back to our boats. The plan was to take Kyrie up to Greentop Harbor the next day, which we had only ever been to once before, nearly twenty years ago. It was not the most comfortable ride--there was a swell with a pretty nasty chop and a couple of times, Kyrie's bow was pointed nearly skyward. Then, upon arrival in Greentop, we apparently entered the wrong way. After tucking behind the safety of Greentop rock, there is a small island named Elbow Island. The portside path looks like the correct route, even though there is a lot of kelp and rocks because it's wider, compared to the starboard path. However, we were greeted by a couple who have a cabin in Greentop and they informed us the other way is safer! Much narrower, but deeper and no rocks to worry about avoiding. We kept that in mind for the way out.
Greentop is well-protected from any waves outside and it is quiet! Pat and Michael took the kayak out to explore the nooks and crannies, while Joe and I took our kids on a hike. A trail would take us across to Lisianski Strait, but it was pretty rough terrain and Megan just couldn't do it. It was still beautiful and fun.
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