Taking it as it comes

     We'll be in Ketchikan today! Talk about some more lessons in flexibility and not having firmly laid plans.
   

Levi, Megan, and Joe on our way from
Kyrie to the dock in Coffman Cove.

Rachael and Mouse--the
Coffman Cove greenhouse cat.

After leaving Exchange Cove over a week ago, we traveled first to Coffman Cove, and then toThorne Bay. Thorne Bay was a cute community and at first we thought we would stay there two nights before moving on. However, a weather report informed us that Clarence Strait was going to kick up to a 20-knot south wind, seas four feet or so, on the day we planned to leave. No thank you! Instead, we made a grocery list, hit the store and fuel dock the next morning, and got out, beelining south for Behm Canal and safety in Naha Bay. It was pretty calm until the Tongass Narrows were in sight, so we did some laundry and Joe fixed the switch for the anchor windlass.

Laundry hanging from the sheets!
We are officially cruisers!

That promised 20-knots were starting to kick up as we crossed into Behm Canal, so both crews were rather glad we left when we did!
        Naha Bay has a public float near the top of it and that was our goal. Thankfully, there was only one other boat when we arrived--another cruising sailboat!--so both Kyrie and Pacific Wonder were able to tie to the dock. Nice spot to stay for a couple of days! The weather was soggy, so it was nice to have a spot for the kids to get out. We tried hiking around Roosevelt Lagoon, but discovered bees had built their nest right under the boardwalk! Rachael and Megan both got stung once, each on the hand, and I got stung on both the neck and the leg! No surprise we turned around at that point.
        However, since it was slack water when we got back, Joe and I took Bumblebee (the dinghy) up through the rapids and into the lagoon to explore what we couldn't get to before. It was beautiful back there and we even saw a seal! The next day, we took the dinghy over to the little community of Loring. There used to be a salmon cannery and now all that's left is a community of about eight houses connected by boardwalks.
         Two days in Naha was enough and it was time to move on. Next destination was Yes Bay, which would set us up nicely to reach the top of Behm Canal and officially enter Misty Fjords. After an extremely soggy night--the roar of raindrops on the roof was almost deafening at times!--we prepared to move on. Halfway to the top of the canal, we were passed by two powerboats. About an hour later, we saw them turn around and come back our direction. After hailing them on the radio, our travel partners on Pacific Wonder got the story--25-30 knots coming up from the south and three-foot seas, and they were still in protected waters. That we could have dealt with, but our planned anchorage was open to the south, which we would have been slammed all night. No sirree! We had no problem turning tail and running away from that.
       This time, we aimed for Marguerite Bay, in Traitor's Cove, which, ironically, was just a little south of Yes Bay, where we spent the night. *sigh* That's the way it goes sometimes, right? However, whatever we missed out on by not continuing, I think we had it more than made up to us. Marguerite Bay has a public dock and there was no one there, so we happily tied up to it, after, of course, brushing a rock that doesn't appear anywhere on the charts! Kari said we should call it Kyrie's Pedestal! Another boat showed up later with a girl Rachael's age, so our girls were happy. That dock was covered in ponies and chalk racecourses and corrals filled with grass!
        The next day was absolutely gorgeous! We had enough solar to refill our water tank, charge every gadget we had, and still have full batteries before noon! We also packed our backpacks and, along with our new friends on F/V Sunset, we took a hike. It was a lot of fun and we all came back tuckered out.
          Now here it is, Friday afternoon--Summer Solstice--and we're headed into Ketchikan. We had to stop along the way through Clover Passage because there were probably nine orcas playing in the passage! Joe put Kyrie in neutral and we floated along to watch them play. One passed so close to our bow that Joe and Rachael both got sprayed! Rather a nice little stop.
          We plan to anchor at the northern end of Pennock Island, somewhat across from Thomas Basin, and then take Bumblebee to the dock so we can do our errands. There is still a mound of laundry to do, as well as grocery shopping! We'll be around Ketchikan for at least a few days--maybe go swimming and to the museum. On the 27th is a Coast Guard Change of Command for Joe's former supervisor, and we've been invited to attend. Shortly after that, we'll be leaving Alaska, most likely for a very long time!