May 21 - Bellingham to Victoria 
We could not have asked for a more beautiful day to begin the first leg of Mother Goose 2009. The sun was shining and Bellingham Bay was flat as glass when Deception led Mystic Eagle, Arctic Dream, and Lady of Shalott out of the marina. With both the weather and the tide on our side, the fleet made great time cruising out of the bay and around the San Juan Islands. The flat seas made it easy to spot the harbor porpoises which seemed to be accompanying us everywhere we went. Seabirds were plentiful as well, and we saw a variety of species including rhinoceros auklets, pigeon guillemots, Brandt's cormorants, pelagic cormorants, and of course the ever-present gulls.

The fleet arrived in Victoria at 2pm and everyone cleared customs without a problem. The afternoon was spent exploring the city, shopping, enjoying refreshments on the flybridge, and just generally enjoying the beautiful weather. Tomorrow we will spend the whole day in Victoria, and our fingers are crossed that the weather will be just as nice as it was today.

Leaving Bellingham

Calm Waters

May 23 - Victoria to Bamfield 
Today we rose before the sun. The weather forecast called for gale force winds in the afternoon, so we left the docks in Victoria at 4:30am to try to get a head start on the weather. Fortunately, the sun rose on clear skies and calm seas. As the day wore on, the seas began to build a bit and the ride was a little bumpy for about 2 hours. Then, unexpectedly, the seas flattened out and we were able to complete the day on relatively flat seas.

Our passage through the Strait of Juan de Fuca was full of seabirds. We saw marbled murrelets, rhinoceros auklets, Pacific loons, common loons, common murres, and many more. More than once we encountered a frenzy of gulls and diving birds feeding on a school of bait fish. We came across only one harbor porpoise while we were cruising, but we saw a number of Dall’s porpoise. Unfortunately, they were intent on what they were doing and weren’t interested in bowriding.

We arrived in the picturesque town of Bamfield at 4pm, simultaneously pleased with our day and relieved to be on land after our long day of cruising. The crew of the Mystic Eagle was eager to catch some seafood for dinner, so they headed out in their dinghy to set crab pots and try to catch some fish. Everyone else was pleased to wander the town, share hors' devours on Deception and enjoy the sunny evening.

Early Departure	The Fleet	The Fisherpeople

May 24 - Bamfield to Effingham Inlet 
After rising early on Saturday, everyone was pleased to be able to sleep in and have a leisurely morning in Bamfield. Some of the guests went across the harbor for a tour of the Bamfield Marine Science Center, while others took the opportunity to go for a morning run, pull crab pots, or walk to the beautiful Brady’s Beach. The fleet left Bamfield at noon and headed for Effingham Island in the Broken Group.

The cruise to Effingham Island was nice and flat, and only took about an hour. The morning fog burned off, leaving us with yet another warm, sunny day. We spotted a few seabirds on the way to the island, but beyond that we did not see much wildlife. Fortunately, the scenery was spectacular and the views of the many forested islets of the Broken Group more than made up for the lack of wildlife.

We anchored in Effingham Inlet, a nice protected spot surrounded by rocky beaches and dense primeval forests. Our fishing enthusiasts went out almost immediately to try their luck, and this time they brought back a nice rockfish. The others explored the coastline in their dinghies or made their way on a trail to other side of the island to visit a spectacular beach. All in all, another wonderful day on Mother Goose 2009.

Cruising to Effingham Island	Linda Kayaking	The Eaglets

May 25 - Effingham Inlet to Tofino 
The fleet hauled anchor and left Effingham Inlet at 8am this morning and headed north for Tofino. For the first time on this trip, we cruised under overcast skies. We navigated out of the Broken Group, passing secluded islands and rocks encrusted with thousands of enormous mussels. Once we were out of the islands, we were back on the open ocean.

Fortunately, we were blessed with calm seas and just a gentle, rolling swell. As we cruised north, we were once again surrounded by seabirds. The common murres were out in full force. Throughout the trip they could be seen flying, floating, and diving in groups as large as 20 individuals. We were also lucky enough to see a number of northern fulmars, a sure sign that we were out on the open ocean.

Then, as we were rounding the point and heading into Tofino, we saw the first whale of our trip. Right near the shore there was a blow, then another followed immediately by a dappled gray back before the whale dove out of sight. This was the back of a gray whale, feeding in the shallows near shore. Unfortunately, the rain had started to fall and spotting conditions were very poor, which meant we weren’t able to see the whale again after it dove. So, we continued into the harbor to explore and enjoy the town of Tofino. We were able to buy some freshly caught dungeness crabs in the marina and everyone ate well.

Lastly, Cindy and Barb would like to say hello to their friends at Southern Oregon!

Barb and Cindy on the Swimstep	Crabs!	Wild Woman!

May 26 - Tofino to Hot Springs Cove 
It poured rain all through the night and by the morning it finally seemed to have rained itself out. Even as we ate breakfast, the clouds seemed to be getting thinner. After breakfast, we bid farewell to two of the Eaglets, Kathy and Jeannie. They headed off for a day of surfing before returning to civilization. The remaining crew of Mystic Eagle went to anchor their boat out in the bay. They remained in Tofino to pick up more crew while the rest of the fleet cruised onward to Hot Springs Cove. By the time we got under way, the clouds had burned off and the skies were once again a beautiful blue.

The extremely low tide made navigating away from Tofino a bit of a trick, but once we were out of the harbor cruising was smooth and easy. Throughout the trip we were watched by bald eagles, sitting in tree tops like sentries. We made a slight detour to stop by an oyster farm tucked back up near the head of Holmes Inlet. At Jim’s Oyster Farm we met Jim, Lana, and Bill, a few colorful locals who didn’t have any oysters ready for harvest, but were able to provide us with a dozen live Dungeness crabs. As we cruised out of the inlet and around the corner to Hot Springs Cove, the crew of Lady of Shalott was lucky enough to see a pair of sea otters floating off their port side.

After mooring on the public dock in Hot Springs Cove, everyone took some time to relax and let the day visitors return to their boats. This left only the Mother Goose fleet to enjoy the steaming hot springs. Nearly everyone walked to the hot springs for a pre-dinner soak in the pools before returning to the boats to enjoy our latest batch of crab. After some wonderful dinner and pleasant conversation, everyone retired for the night.

Jordan Cleaning Crab	Petra and Ede	Boardwalk to the Hot Springs

May 27 - Hot Springs Cove to Santa Gertrudis Inlet 
This morning we reunited with our friends on Mystic Eagle and met their two new crew members: Ron and Art. They had gotten up early and left Tofino to meet us at the entrance to Hot Springs Cove. This meant that we had the opportunity to get up a little later and enjoy a leisurely morning. Ray and Ede went for their usual morning swim in the frigid saltwater (they are very brave). We left the dock at 9:45am and headed out onto the open ocean.

With the fleet complete, we headed toward Nootka Sound. The sky was mostly sunny and the boats bobbed up and down on gentle rolling swells. Once again, we were blessed with great weather for cruising on the Pacific Ocean. We were very thankful for this as we made our way along what is sometimes a very treacherous stretch of coastline and around the Hesquiat Peninsula into Nootka Sound. As we rounded the peninsula, we saw our second whale of the trip. This time, it was a humpback. It was traveling alone along the shoreline, quite a large distance from the fleet. We were only able to see a few blows, and then it was gone.

We anchored in Santa Gertrudis Cove, right next to the historically important Friendly Cove. Everyone paid a visit to the Williams family, the caretakers of Friendly Cove, and explored the surrounding land. In the nearby church, there were beautiful carved totems, old stained glass showing missionaries meeting with the native people, and a multitude of informational plaques. With our minds full of historical knowledge, we returned to the boats to enjoy dinner and relax in the peaceful anchorage.

Lighthouse at Friendly Cove	The Fleet Rafted Up	Fallen Totem Pole

May 28 - Santa Gertrudis Inlet to Dixie Cove 
Today was, without a doubt, our best wildlife day yet. We left Santa Gertrudis Cove at 8am, and headed around Nootka Island through Kendrick Inlet. The water was so still we could have been cruising on a lake. There were so many eagles it felt like there was one in every other tree. The perfectly still water allowed us to see the harbor porpoises which were darting around excitedly chasing fish. We may have seen as many porpoises this morning as we have seen all trip. They were accompanied by a multitude of sea otters and harbor seals.

Then came the black bears. Bill had the honor of spotting the first bear nosing around on a beach in the distance. A little further along there was another, still quite distant. Then, after we passed through the narrow Princessa Channel, we began to see them much closer to the boat. All told, we saw 7 bears this morning. Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, we saw two humpback whales. These passed much closer than the other whales we had seen on the trip thus far. The guests who had missed the first two whales very happy to have the opportunity to see this pair. Hopefully this is just a small taste of what will come.

Eventually, we pulled into the scenic Dixie Cove on Hohoae Island in Kyuquot Sound. The cove is made up of a smaller inner portion and a larger outer portion. Arctic Dream and Lady of Shalott anchored in the snug inner lagoon, while Deception and Mystic Eagle opted to spend the night in the more open outer cove. There was not a boat, airplane, building, or any other sign of human habitation in sight. The fleet wound down from the long day of cruising in the still, quiet beauty of the peaceful cove.

Smooth Sailing	Mystic Eagle	The Arctic Dreamers

May 29 - Dixie Cove to Klashkish Cove 
The fleet hauled anchor and left Dixie Cove at 8 in the morning. At the risk of sounding redundant, we have truly been blessed with good weather on this trip. There was not a breath of wind and the sun was shining brightly in the sky. We left Dixie Cove with the intention of cruising to Columbia Cove at the base of the Brooks Peninsula. As we neared the peninsula, however, the skipper decided the weather was simply too good to waste. So, the fleet continued past Columbia Cove and began the trip around the rugged peninsula.

As we approached the tip of the Brooks Peninsula, our blue skies were replaced by low clouds. The wind, fortunately, was almost non-existent. The clouds allowed us to see the Brooks Peninsula in all its glory. The mist threaded through the ancient trees and the surf pounded the shore, while we cruised safely by on the rolling swells.

We were very fortunate to be traveling around the peninsula on a calm day for another reason as well. The flat seas allowed us to make a close approach to the beautiful Solander Island, which lies directly off the tip of the peninsula. The island teemed with nesting seabirds. We saw our first puffins of the trip diving for fish in the nearby waters. The rocks at the ocean’s edge were covered in Steller’s sea lions, lolling lazily in enormous piles of fur-covered bodies.

After leaving the lush, green island behind, we followed the northern shore of the peninsula in to our anchorage in Klashkish Cove. The cove has a very narrow entrance, with low-hanging trees on either side, reaching down almost to the water’s edge. After our long day, many people decided to take afternoon naps before making dinner and enjoying the rest of the evening in the still, protected waters of Klashkish Cove.

Calm Morning	Solander Island	Steller Sea Lions

May 30 - Klashkish Cove Lay Day 
Today was a lay day in Klashkish Cove. When we woke up, all trace of yesterday’s cloudy weather was gone, and in its place was a clear, bright sky. Everyone was ready to enjoy a day without cruising, especially because we were anchored in such a beautiful place. Linda, Jordan, and Casey took the opportunity to launch the kayaks and go for a long paddle around the cove and in the adjacent bays.

In the evening, everyone got in their dinghies and went for a dinghy tour of the nearby East Creek. We entered the creek on a rising tide and took the boats up through the lush, green delta. From there, we were able to follow the creek up through the dense forest. Huge trees towered over the dinghies, their branches draped with moss. In the end, an enormous log jam blocked the creek and we weren’t able to go any further. So, we turned around and headed back to the boats for dinner and socializing before going to bed.

Klashkish Cove	Patrick on the Aft Deck	Art in the Kayak

May 31 - Klashkish Cove to Coal Harbour 
Our next destination after Klashkish Inlet was the town of Coal Harbour, a small fishing port and something of a bedroom community for the nearby Port Hardy. Coal Harbour lies deep inland, up Quatsino Sound. About two thirds of the way up the sound lie the Quatsino Narrows, through which a large body of water floods and ebbs with each turning tide. The result is a very strong current flowing through the narrows. So, in order to make the best time possible, we timed our departure from Klashkish Inlet so that we would ride the incoming tide up Quatsino Sound and through the narrows.

When we arrived in Coal Harbour, we found the docks almost completely full with fishing boats. Fortunately, we were able to find just enough room to moor Deception and Arctic Dream to the dock. Then, we rafted Mystic Eagle alongside Deception and Lady of Shalott alongside Arctic Dream. With that accomplished, we were able to enjoy what turned out to be a very warm, sunny afternoon.

Busy Docks

Ron Enjoying the Sun

June 1 - Coal Harbour Lay Day 
This morning the sun rose into a perfectly clear sky and shone down upon 4 boats full of sleeping people. We were all enjoying our lay day in Coal Harbour to its fullest. When everyone was awake, fed, and active, we began taking care of a few items of business that we had been unable to attend to while we were away from civilization. A number of people went to Port Hardy to provision for the rest of the trip. Brian and Bill took the opportunity to take care of a few little projects on the boats. Unwilling to let the good weather go to waste, Linda and Art launched their kayaks and headed out for a long paddle.

As the day wore on, it became downright hot. It felt as if we were in the middle of the summer. The crew of Arctic Dream made friends on the docks and, with their newly obtained local knowledge, placed their crab pots in the perfect spot. When all was said and done, they came back with 16 crabs. They proceeded to cook up an enormous feast and invite everyone over for dinner and drinks on the flybridge. Finally, when everyone was satisfied and sleepy, we returned to our boats and prepared for bed.

The Town of Coal Harbour

June 2 - Coal Harbour to Winter Harbour 
Before leaving civilization and heading back into the wild, we took the opportunity to refuel the boats and top off the water tanks. With our tanks full and our food stores replenished, we headed back down Quatsino Sound towards the tiny, isolated village of Winter Harbour. This town would be our last stop before our day-long crossing of the entrance to Queen Charlotte Strait.

On the way to Winter Harbour, the crews of Deception and Lady of Shalott practiced man overboard drills. They were skills we hoped we wouldn’t need, but we wanted to be sure that we could perform them were an emergency situation to arise. So, the two boats spent an hour or so looping around Quatsino Sound retrieving life rings.

This day was even hotter than the last, and the skies were cloudless as we pulled into Winter Harbour. Mystic Eagle made another crew change just before we left Coal Harbour, and though we were sad to see Ron and Art leave, we were happy to welcome Scott, Liisa, Paul and Willa to the fleet. We spent the rest of the afternoon preparing the boats for the long crossing. When that was done we explored around the little town, enjoyed cool beverages on the flybridge, ate dinner, and retired early to prepare for the long day to come.

The Fleet in Winter Harbour

Very Old Docks

June 3 - Winter Harbour to Fury Cove 
The weather report called for 20 to 25 knots of wind during our long, exposed crossing. We were determined to beat the rough weather, so we cast off and left Winter Harbour at 4:30am. Just as the sun began to peek over the horizon, the fleet left the mouth of Quatsino Sound and began to follow the coast north towards Cape Scott and the wide Pacific Ocean.

From the beginning of the trip it was clear that we had either beaten the weather or the forecast had been wrong. The seas were almost flat and the wind peaked at only 12 knots before unexpectedly abating until it was just a pleasant breeze out of the northeast. Bill commented that the seas were calmer than they had been during his last cruise in the San Juan Islands.

Spotting conditions were perfect, and it was not long into the trip when we spotted our first humpback whale. The misty white blows were clearly visible in the morning light as the massive animal rested between its long dives. Much to our pleasure, this leviathan was only the first of many. One conservative estimate put the count for the day at 24 individuals. We saw breaching and pectoral fin slapping. One whale repeatedly lifted its enormous tail out of the water and brought it slamming back down onto the surface with a huge splash. We even saw a minke whale as we neared our anchorage. Finally, we had entered whale country.

After a long day of cruising, we arrived in the incredibly beautiful Fury Cove. In the still air of the sheltered anchorage, the day was again unusually hot for early June. It was perfect weather for exploring the myriad of islets, rocks, beaches and bays that stretched out on all sides. Everyone got together and enjoyed cocktails on the white shell beach before dinner. We retired early, looking forward to spending a lay day exploring the magnificent shores and waters of Fury Cove.

Fury Cove Driftwood	Giving Directions	It Was This Big

June 4 - Fury Cove Lay Day 
It is generally agreed that there are few better places to spend a lay day than in and around the magnificent Fury Cove. To make things even better, we happened to be there for the clearest, hottest day of our trip so far.

The kayaks were constantly in use throughout the day. Eager to take advantage of the good weather, Linda rose with the sun and went for a morning paddle. She scouted out a number of beaches, looking for the perfect swimming spot for later in the day. As all the boats rose and greeted the day, the kayaks were passed around so that everyone could experience the beautiful surroundings. It was truly a perfect day for paddling the calm waters around Fury Cove.

Everyone in the fleet was active all day, whether they were swimming, kayaking, or walking the ivory white beaches. Then, after dinner, we all had a bonfire on the beach. When the fire had burned down to a glowing bed of coals, we made s’mores (thanks to the crew of Arctic Dream for the idea and the supplies). After an incredible sunset followed immediately by a beautiful moonrise, we returned to the boats and drifted off to sleep.

Two Eaglets: Linda and Liisa

Willa's Enormous Lifejacket

June 5 - Fury Cove to Shearwater 
Though we were sad to leave the incredible scenery of Fury Cove behind, everyone in the fleet was eager to continue onward. We cruised up Fitz Hugh Sound for two hours before turning up a little inlet and into Pruth Bay. At Pruth Bay we rafted the fleet and went ashore. A trail leads from the bay over to West Beach, an amazingly beautiful stretch of fine white sand, pounded by the surf of the Pacific Ocean. We took off our shoes and walked the length of the soft, sandy beach.

The weather report changed while we were at West Beach. Gale warnings were being issued for the outer islands, including the area we had planned to spend the night. So, when we returned to the boats we headed for Shearwater, a small town with protected moorage. This new route allowed us to stay within the inside passage, effectively sheltering us from the weather brewing out over the Pacific. The skies were still clear when we arrived in Shearwater, but the fog began to creep up as night fell. We enjoyed a night in the “big city,” eating burgers and visiting the pub before heading to bed for the night.

Majestic Eagle	View From the Dock	Moonrise

June 6 - Shearwater to Culpepper Lagoon 
We left Shearwater at 8am, cruising out of the harbor through a light fog. The barometer had turned around and was climbing steadily through the morning. As our first two hours of cruising passed, the fog lifted and we were once again left with clear, blue skies.

Our destination for the day was Culpepper Lagoon, way up at the end of Kynoch Inlet. This inlet is deep in the heart of the Fjord Recreation Area, a pristine area protected from logging and development by the Canadian government. As we neared our destination, the scenery became more and more magnificent. We cruised up still fjords, with 1500 feet of water below us and 2500 feet of mountains towering above us. Trees clung to the sheer cliffs and steep slopes on either side of the channel. All around us, waterfalls plunged downwards into the sea. The scenery in this part of the world is truly majestic.

As we cruised toward the lagoon we were joined by a group of Dall’s porpoise, eagerly riding our bow waves and playing in our wakes. At the mouth of Kynoch Inlet, there is an enormous waterfall. We paused to take pictures of each boat in front of the roaring falls before continuing on into Culpepper Lagoon. We anchored in the peaceful lagoon with snow-capped mountains jutting up on all sides, and retired for the evening.

Bowriding Dall's Porpoise	Arctic Dream in Front of Kynoch Falls	Kynoch Inlet

June 7 - Culpepper Lagoon to Bishop Bay 
Morning found the boats still and quiet, nestled deep in the cradle of the surrounding mountains. The rattle of anchor chains being pulled was the only thing that broke the silence as we prepared to leave Culpepper Lagoon. At 7am, the fleet assembled and cruised back the way we had come, out the entrance to the lagoon, up Kynoch Inlet and back into Mathieson Channel.

We had a long day of cruising ahead of us and we could not have asked for more stunning scenery to keep us entertained along the way. Our destination was Bishop Bay, the site of some of the nicest natural hot springs in British Columbia. As we cruised the still channels, we were once again joined by a boisterous band of Dall’s porpoises. They excitedly swam from boat to boat, frolicking in the bow waves. We also saw a juvenile humpback whale, only around 20 feet long, slowly meandering around the channel. It was our closest whale encounter yet and we were able to take some great photos.

When we arrived in Bishop Bay, we anchored the boats and went ashore to enjoy the hot springs. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing and unwinding from our long cruise. We went to bed just as the light was fading from the sky.

Deep Waters	Juvenile Humpback Whale	Scenic Cruising

June 8 - Bishop Bay to Klewnuggit Inlet 
Early in the morning, Gunther and Ede went ashore for one last dip in the Bishop Bay Hot Springs. When they returned, we hauled our anchors and headed north. We cruised up Grenville Channel, a very long passage with steep mountains on either side. Unlike most of the surrounding area, which was shaped by the advance of enormous glaciers, this channel lies along a geological fault created by the action of tectonic plates. As a result, Grenville Channel is almost perfectly straight, with only one slight jog in the middle.

We cruised up the channel and through Verney Passage. Here we once again passed into a landscape which was formed by eons of glacial movement. This was clearly evidenced in the huge, beautiful glacial cirques towering on either side of the fleet. Every few minutes we would pass an enormous landslide where trees, rocks and soil had all simply slipped off of the hillside and tumbled into the depths below. The walls of these deep, glacially carved channels are so steep that there was not even a trace of rubble at the bottom of these slides. Every trace of the debris had simply been swallowed up by the sea.

In the late afternoon, we arrived in Klewnuggit Inlet. This narrow anchorage is surrounded by steep hills, blanketed in dense forest. At the head of the inlet, a small stream flows into the ocean. Deception dropped anchor, then Mystic Eagle and Lady of Shalott rafted alongside. Arctic Dream set their anchor nearby. When all of this was done, we all relaxed in the perfectly quiet, calm evening.

John on the Bow	Full Steam Ahead!	Our Anchorage For the Night

June 9 - Klewnuggit Inlet to Prince Rupert 
When we pulled anchor and left Klewnuggit Inlet, the skies were a light overcast. Wispy clouds threaded through the mountain tops, which rose around us on all sides. As the day wore on, however, the clouds began to burn off. By early afternoon we were cruising under the crystal clear skies we had become accustomed to on this leg of Mother Goose 2009.

Our wildlife highlight for the day was rather unusual. While cruising down a narrow channel, we spotted an animal swimming in the water ahead of us. As we drew closer, it became clear that it was a mammal, and though it was swimming in the ocean, it was not a marine mammal. It was a Sitka Blacktail deer, swimming from one island to another. Jim informed us that these animals are good swimmers for three reasons: their hair is hollow and helps them to be more buoyant, their large stomach is full of air and helps keep them afloat, and lastly their hooves are slightly webbed allowing them to swim through the water more easily. Through our binoculars we were able to see that the deer had small antlers, still covered in velvet. This led us to conclude that this animal was a young buck.

The crew of Mystic Eagle had opted to spend another night out in a secluded anchorage rather than continue into Prince Rupert with the rest of the fleet. They would join us the next day and we would continue on as a group. By the time we reached Prince Rupert, the sun was blazing high in the sky and we were afforded another unusual sight: Prince Rupert on a sunny day. We docked at the Prince Rupert Yacht Club and spent the rest of the day out on the town exploring, dining, shopping, and enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Deer Crossing the Channel

Sunny Prince Rupert

June 10 - Prince Rupert Lay Day 
Prince Rupert is a charming town with lots of little shops, cafes, and parks. We spent much of the day strolling around town and taking in the sights. The city is home to the Museum of Northern British Columbia, a fascinating and immaculately maintained museum with exhibits of traditional native art, historical photos and artifacts from the town’s early days, and a wonderful gift shop. The museum is housed in an impressive, almost entirely cedar building made from enormous cedar logs which sits on a bluff overlooking the harbor.

Mystic Eagle rejoined the fleet in Prince Rupert and the crew spent the afternoon and evening doing what the rest of us had done all day, wandering around the downtown and provisioning for the last few days of the trip. As night fell, a thick fog crept into the harbor obscuring everything from view. Our departure the next day was tentatively scheduled for 4am, as we would be crossing the sometimes tempestuous Dixon Entrance. If the fog was too thick, however, we would have to wait for it to burn off before leaving. So, with visions of clear skies held firmly in our minds, we went to bed early to prepare for the next day.

The Fog Rolls In

June 11 - Prince Rupert to Foggy Bay 
As 3:30am rolled around we rose, rubbed the sleep from our eyes, and peered out the windows to determine whether or not we would be leaving Prince Rupert at four. The skies were just beginning to lighten, but the thick fog that had rolled in the previous evening was gone. It had lifted and hung in the sky as a low layer of clouds. So we cast off our lines and began our trip across Dixon Entrance and into Foggy Bay.

Our luck, which had held true for us throughout the trip, made one last appearance as we embarked upon our last open ocean crossing. Dixon Entrance was as flat as it ever gets and we cruised along happily, thinking again of the excellent weather that had blessed us since we left Bellingham. While cruising, we crossed the border and returned to US waters.

We arrived in Foggy Bay in late morning, and rafted the boats together in the inner lagoon. Not long after we anchored, we spotted a pair of wolves on the shore across the lagoon. One of them loped off into the forest, but the other simply lay down on the beach, not at all concerned by our presence. We were able to get quite close in the dinghies and the wolf remained completely unfazed. Finally, after ten or fifteen minutes it slowly rose, then turned and walked off into the forest. It was truly a remarkable experience.

The place was teeming with wildlife, as it turned out. While exploring the nearby Very Inlet we saw 3 bears. A number of deer could be seen on the beach, though they fled when we approached. Wildlife aside, the setting was spectacular. Foggy Bay was a wonderful place to spend the last night of our trip. In celebration of our long voyage and the friendships we had made, we had a big potluck dinner on Deception. Everyone brought delicious food, and we were all satisfied by the time the evening was over.

Early Morning In Prince Rupert

The Wolf

June 12 - Foggy Bay to Ketchikan 
On the last day of Leg 1 of Mother Goose 2009, we hauled our anchors and left Foggy Bay behind as we headed for Ketchikan. We departed early in order to get everyone to the airport on time. As we approached our destination, we were joined one final time by the Dall’s porpoises which had provided us with much entertainment over the course of the trip. They frolicked on our bows, before darting away to pursue other business.

In Ketchikan, we docked and waited to clear customs. Then we filled the boats with fuel and made sure everyone’s travel and lodging arrangements were in place. In the evening, those of use who remained in Ketchikan enjoyed one last dinner together in town, before saying our final goodbyes. We were all sad to part and many plans were made to meet again in the future. Leg 1 was an incredible success and an experience that none of us would soon forget.

June 15 - Ketchikan to Meyer's Chuck 
Leg 2 of Mother Goose 2009 kicked off this morning as we cruised out of Bar Harbor in Ketchikan and headed north up Tongass Narrows. Spirits were high and everyone was excited to begin our adventure. Our fleet was now up to five boats: Deception, Mystic Eagle, Lady of Shalott, Arctic Dream and Navigator. As we cruised up the narrows we passed Totem Bight State Park, which sits on a small hill overlooking the water and has a large collection of traditional native totem poles. After we got a good look at these beautiful pieces of art and history, we continued north up the channel.

Our cruise was not a long one. We pulled into Meyer’s Chuck early in the afternoon. Shortly after we were all settled in the protected harbor, we saw that the wind had picked up outside and the seas had become very choppy. It seemed we made it to our destination at the perfect time. After we had moored, we went our separate ways for a while to explore the area. Some went by dinghy and others on foot. It was just after low tide, so Casey led a tidepooling expedition on the nearby beach. The water was teeming with life and we saw a variety of small fish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, crabs, snails and other marine organisms. We poked around the beach until the incoming tide forced us to retreat to higher ground.

That evening, we enjoyed cocktails and socialized on Mystic Eagle. Brian had worked his magic and gotten us two pies from a local baker: one apple and one cherry. So after dinner, we all had a slice of delicious pie before going to bed.

Picturesque Meyer's Chuck

Welcome to Meyer's Chuck

June 16 - Meyer's Chuck to Berg Bay 
We had a wonderful surprise this morning as we were preparing to leave Meyer’s Chuck. Unbeknownst to the fleet, Brian had ordered fresh baked cinnamon buns from one of the local women, and at precisely 7:30am she came hustling down the dock with a tray of the sweet smelling pastries in her hands. It was quite a treat for all of us and little did we know it was only the first of many treats the day would bring us.

As we headed north from Meyer’s Chuck we were greeted by the second treat of the day, a pair of humpback whales traveling off our port side. They surfaced and blew their misty white breaths into the air before diving and giving us a beautiful view of their enormous flukes. Shortly thereafter, a group of Dall’s porpoise came zipping across our path, swimming incredibly fast and creating big splashes each time they surfaced. These energetic animals looked like they were in hot pursuit of a school of fish or some other tasty prey item, and they continued on away from the fleet.

The day, as it turned out, was to be a day of marine mammals. Over the course of our trip we visited a harbor seal haul out and a Steller’s sea lion haul out. We saw two groups of harbor porpoises and four more groups of Dall’s porpoises. All of these porpoises were very busy, and were too intent on what they were doing to come ride our bow waves. Finally, we saw another pair of humpback whales. These two were feeding right in our path. Three times we were lucky enough to see these animals come lunging up through the surface, mouths agape, capturing a mouthful of small fish to feed their enormous appetites.

Partway through our cruise, we stopped for a shore excursion. We rafted the boats and went ashore to visit the Anan Bear Preserve. In the peak of the salmon runs (July and August), Anan Creek is thick with salmon and its shores are thick with brown bears. These bears congregate here in large numbers to feast on the plentiful fish, and there is an observatory from which people can watch them in action. Sadly, we visited before the salmon begin running and though we saw many signs of the presence of bears, we did not see any bears in the flesh. Still, the walk was beautiful and everyone enjoyed the opportunity to get out and stretch their legs.

We arrived in Berg Bay, that night’s anchorage, in early afternoon. After anchoring the boats we set crab pots, had dinner, and explored the surrounding area. At 8pm everyone got together on Deception to celebrate our naturalist Casey’s 23rd birthday. Brian made a delicious chocolate cake which received top reviews from everyone in attendance. Another incredible day on Mother Goose 2009!

Arctic Dream at the Sea Lion Haulout	Rafted up at Anan Bay	Jordan's Water Taxi

June 17 - Berg Bay to Wrangell 
We decided to leave Berg Bay a little early this morning to catch a ride on the rising tide and shorten our travel time for the day. So, we had our anchors hauled by 7am and set out for Wrangell. With the current pushing us along, it really was a short trip. We arrived in Wrangell a little before ten this morning. After docking, we took a few hours to look around the town and some of us stopped in at the local diner for a late breakfast.

In the afternoon, many of us took an optional jet boat tour of the Stikine River. Eric, our expert driver and guide, took us speeding up the many winding channels and tributaries of the river. The water was a beautiful turquoise color, a side effect of the silt dumped into the water by the massive glaciers which feed the river. As we turned up into some of the smaller streams which feed into the river, the water suddenly became perfectly clear and we could every detail of the bottom below us. These streams were fed by rain and snowmelt rather than by glaciers.

Perhaps the highlight of the trip was our turnaround point, the beautiful Shakes Lake. High mountains surrounded the lake, their peaks still cloaked in snow. We had to push through a field of snow and ice floating in the water to just to get into the lake. Finally, our progress was brought to a halt by a vast field of ice which made up the upper half of the lake. We stopped off on a big iceberg for a photo op before heading back downriver. The trip contained many more interesting stops and we all agreed it was a spectacular way to spend an afternoon.

It was evening by the time we arrived back in town. Some members of the fleet went into town to eat dinner out. Others decided to stay in and cook their own. After a long and fulfilling day, everyone was ready to take it easy and relax in the calm, quiet evening.

Welcome to Wrangell	Pushing Through the Ice	Group Shot at Shakes Lake

June 18 - Wrangell to Petersburg 
We left the docks this morning at our usual 8 o’clock. With Wrangell behind us, we cruised west across Sumner Strait, along the southern edge of Mitkof Island to the entrance of Wrangell Narrows. This stretch of water is sometimes referred to as Christmas Tree Lane because there are so many navigational aides that the narrows are said to look like a Christmas tree at night. During the daytime, it is a beautiful channel with an incredible number of eagles dotting the trees, beaches, and the numerous buoys and markers.

At a little before one in the afternoon we pulled into Petersburg’s south harbor. The town of 3,000 has a strong Norwegian heritage which is quite apparent in the colorful houses, clean streets, and immaculate fishing fleet. We took an hour or so explore around Petersburg before returning to the boats.

At 3pm, we embarked on a tour of the area surrounding Petersburg. Judy, our tour guide, loaded us onto her bus and drove us out of town, all the while telling us interesting facts and little tidbits of local knowledge. We stopped at a boardwalk which wound through a beautiful bog. The ground was covered in an incredibly thick carpet of moss, and stunted trees grew all around. Our next stop was a trail through the dense and wonderfully lush temperate rainforest. Here the trees were enormous. Everything was draped in hanging mosses and bedecked with a myriad of ferns. Finally, we climbed back aboard the bus and headed back into town. Judy recommended a few local restaurants and shops to visit before sending us on our way.

This evening, some of us went into town to sample the local cuisine, others the local nightlife. Some of us decided all of that could wait until tomorrow and spent a relaxing evening on the boats.

Christmas Tree Lane	Perfect Formation	Bog Tour

June 19 - Petersburg Lay Day 
Everyone in the fleet was very eager to make the best of our lay day in Petersburg. In the morning some people went to coffee shops, some to bakeries, and others went out for a paddle in the kayaks. We spent the majority of the day exploring the charming little town and visiting the numerous local shops. The fresh fish caught by Petersburg’s fishing fleet is available in stores that sell all manner of incredibly fresh and delicious seafood. Many of us decided to stock up on this fresh fish while it was available. In the afternoon, some people went across the Wrangell Narrows for a beautiful hike on the nearby Kupreanof Island. At 5pm, everyone got together for hors d’oeuvres and cocktails on Deception. All in all, it was a very full and entertaining day.

Petersburg's Norwegian Heritage

Fishermen Loading Nets

June 20 - Petersburg to Cannery Cove 
We woke up to find much of the Petersburg marina deserted. As it turned out, the salmon fishing season began today and many of the fishing boats we had been sharing the harbor with had departed in the middle of the night. We encountered a number of them out at sea deploying their nets as we left Petersburg behind us and cruised north into Frederick Sound.

Right from the beginning we could tell that we had a great day ahead of us. Not long after leaving Petersburg we saw our first humpback whales. As we continued along, we saw many more of these magnificent animals. We were treated to quite a few beautiful flukes as the whales dove in search of food. Later in the morning we saw a pod of orcas cruising along in the distance. Their huge dorsal fins could be seen cutting through the water as they sped along toward some unknown destination.

For many of us, the highlight of the day was our destination. We anchored in the amazingly beautiful Cannery Cove in Pybus Bay. It had come highly recommended to us because it was reported to feel like being in the Alps and being at sea level simultaneously. This description turned out to be entirely accurate. Majestic peaks soared up around the bay in a large semi-circle. The snow-capped mountains were covered in sheer cliffs and lush green meadows. Over the course of the evening we spotted 6 brown bears foraging on the beach. We could not have asked for a more beautiful anchorage or a more spectacular wildlife day. After a social hour on Deception, we all had dinner and, completely contented, retired for the evening.

The Magnificent Cannery Cove

Brown Bears

June 21 - Cannery Cove to Tracy Arm Cove 
Today, we rose and greeted the morning of the summer solstice from our little piece of paradise, wrapped in the arms of the huge mountains which surrounded us. We were all very excited about our destination for the day. Tracy Arm: the home of glaciers and icebergs. At 8am, we secured our anchors and cruised out of Pybus Bay before heading north towards the ice-filled waters of the Tracy Arm.

Along the way we passed the Brothers, a pair of small forested islands. On the tip of the west Brother, there was a huge sea lion haulout. We were able to get quite close to watch these large animals lolling about on the rocks. With our doors open, we could hear their growls and moans as they all vied for the most comfortable spot available. The huge males towered over the others, surveying their domains and preparing to defend against intruders.

When we left the Brothers behind us, we began to see humpback whales. Again we were treated to the sight of many of these animals throughout the day. As we were pulling into the mouth of Tracy Arm, one of these leviathans breached 6 times in a row, as if welcoming us to this beautiful spot. In the distance, a group of orcas passed by, their backs and dorsal fins glistening black in the afternoon light.

We anchored in a small bay referred to by the locals as No Name Cove, which we like to call Tracy Arm Cove. Here, we could see the icebergs floating out of the Tracy Arm and into the waters of the Inside Passage. After anchoring, we climbed in the dinghies and went out to the nearest iceberg. We chipped off some of the ancient ice and returned to the boats to put it in our cocktails. After we had enjoyed some social time and our dinners, we retired early to prepare for the next day’s journey up the Tracy Arm to the glaciers themselves.

Cruising to Tracy Arm	Beautiful Berg	Randy, Jodi and an Iceberg

June 22 - Tracy Arm Glacier Tour 
At 7:45am, Jordan got in the dinghy and began picking people up at their boats to ferry them back to Deception. Today, we would be leaving the rest of the fleet anchored up in Tracy Arm Cove and taking Deception up to the head of Tracy Arm to see the North Sawyer and South Sawyer Glaciers.

While we cruised up the channel, Karen and Casey made a big breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon. Everyone was well fed and happy as we navigated our way up the channel and through the brilliant blue icebergs. Sheer cliffs rose up on either side of the boat and waterfalls tumbled down all around. The scenery was nothing short of spectacular.

When we reached the head of Tracy Arm, the South Sawyer Glacier came into view, a vast river of jagged ice flowing down from the mountains and into the sea. We turned up a narrow channel and around the corner to take a look at the North Sawyer Glacier. The water around us was full of icebergs, large and small. Brian bumped some of the smaller ones out of the way with Deception’s bow. Here and there, harbor seals were lying on top of the icebergs. Some of them had young pups, and we were able to get a very close look at these charismatic animals.

After we had spent a good deal of time in front of these magnificent glaciers and taken quite a few pictures, we turned around and headed back to where the boats were anchored. In the evening we had our last supper of the trip. Everyone brought food they had left over on the boat and we had a feast. The next day we would be heading to Juneau and spending one last night on the boats before parting ways. As always, the evening was bittersweet.

Icy Waters	In Front of the North Sawyer Glacier	Mother Seal and Pup

June 23 - Tracy Arm Cove to Juneau 
We got off on an early start today in order to make sure our arrival into Juneau was not too late in the day. So, at 6:45am we hauled anchor and wove around some truly enormous icebergs before leaving Tracy Arm behind and heading north towards Juneau. We arrived at around one in the afternoon, got the boats refueled, and managed to find slips. There are no slip assignments in the Auke Bay Harbor and everything is done on a first come, first served basis. So, finding a spot to moor your boat can be a bit of an adventure. With a little patience and clever thinking, we were able to get all of the boats tied up relatively close to one another.

For the rest of the afternoon almost everyone went into Juneau to look around and do some shopping. Some of us met up for one last, last supper. In the evening, we headed back to the boats and prepared to rise early, as some of us would be flying out on morning flights. We said our goodnights and goodbyes, all of us sorry to know that Leg 2 of Mother Goose 2009 had come to a close and happy to have been a part of it.

June 27 - Juneau to Swanson Harbor 
The first day of Leg 3 was nothing short of spectacular. We left the docks at Auke Bay at precisely 8am and began cruising north towards Swanson Harbor. Not more than half an hour into the trip we began seeing humpback whales, first one, then two, then a group of 4 or 5 of these gargantuan animals. The real highlight of the day, though, came an hour later as we rounded Point Retreat.

It began as a small disturbance in the waters surface. Then, suddenly, 8 enormous mouths came thrusting up in a burst of roiling, white water. These were humpback whales exhibiting a behavior called bubble-net feeding. First, the whales herd a school of small fish into a tight ball. Then one individual swims around the fish releasing a stream of bubbles from its blowhole. The fish will not swim through the net of air and are trapped in the middle. Finally, the whole group of whales swims upwards through the school with their mouths gaping open, swallowing thousands of the small fish. It is truly a magnificent sight to behold, and it is a very rare sight because it is only known to occur in this area of the world.

We watched these animals feeding for a while, then continued on to Swanson Harbor. Once there, we docked on the small public float which sits at one end of the beautiful, uninhabited bay. Once everyone had settled in, we went out in the dinghies and set our crab pots. After we returned, Casey led a guided nature walk onshore. Before returning to the boat, we found tracks of bear and moose, but we did not see either of these animals in the flesh. At 6 o’clock, everyone gathered on Navigator for appetizers and cocktails.

After we had had our dinners, we retrieved our crab pots. Even those of us with high hopes were astounded by our success. Between all of the boats we caught 27 Dungeness crabs of legal size. We would be eating very well the next day. All in all, it was an incredible day and the perfect way to begin Leg 3 of Mother Goose 2009.

The Lighthouse at Point Retreat	Humpback Whales	On the Dock at Swanson Harbor

June 28 - Swanson Harbor to Blue Mouse Cove 
Due to the long day of cruising ahead of us, we decided to leave Swanson Harbor at 6am. We would be entering Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve today, and before entering we would be required to visit the ranger station at Bartlett Cove to check in and receive an orientation about the park. As we cruised toward the mouth of Glacier Bay we saw 2 humpback whales and a very large number of sea otters. These charismatic animals could be seen on either side of the fleet, floating on their backs individually or in pairs. Every so often we would pass a raft of 5 or 6 of them, frolicking and swimming in the still waters. Ahead of us, we could see blue sky and the mountains of the Fairweather Range, which were living up to their name, their valleys and peaks blanketed in bright rays of sunshine.

We arrived in Bartlett Cove at around 11 o’clock, and proceeded to the ranger station for our orientation. After we had finished with that, we went to the nearby Glacier Bay Lodge and enjoyed a delicious lunch in the wonderful restaurant there. Once we were all fed and satisfied, we returned to the boats and began cruising into the heart of Glacier Bay.

The farther we went, the better the weather became, until we were cruising under an incredibly beautiful, clear blue sky. The turquoise waters of Glacier Bay sparkled in the warm sunshine. Along the way, we saw a group of 5 mountain goats high up on a rocky crag. As we pulled into Blue Mouse Inlet, our anchorage for the evening, we saw two more humpback whales, feeding near the shoreline. We anchored in the beautiful little inlet. In the distance, the snowy Fairweather Range still glowed in the evening light. In every direction, beautiful glacier-carved peaks rose up towards the cloudless sky. We settled in for the evening, thankful for another spectacular day.

Entering Glacier Bay	Cruising Into Glacier Bay	Anchored Up in Blue Mouse Cove

June 29 - Blue Mouse Cove to Reid Inlet 
We hauled anchor at 8 o’clock this morning and motored out of Blue Mouse Cove. As we entered the channel, we turned left, heading farther into Glacier Bay. Almost immediately, we spotted another group of mountain goats, nimbly picking their way along the impossibly steep cliffs high above the bay. During our cruise up Glacier Bay we saw another wonderful sight, a mother sea otter and her baby playing in the turquoise water. It was a great way to start the day.

Near the head of the bay, we turned into Tarr Inlet. At the terminus of this inlet, two enormous glaciers come down from the mountains and meet the sea. We steered our way through the numerous icebergs to get a close look at the glaciers. The larger of the two is the Grand Pacific Glacier. The Margerie Glacier, however, was more spectacular to behold. The ice was a clean, crisp white underlain by a beautiful deep blue. We took the opportunity to get some photos in front of the glacier. As we watched, the glacier calved a number of times. Twice, the chunks of ice that fell from the face of the glacier were enormous, creating a monstrous splash and sending waves rippling across the inlet. The power within these glaciers is simply astounding.

After visiting these two glaciers, we left Tarr Inlet and turned up into the mouth of Johns Hopkins Inlet to see the Johns Hopkins Glacier. The inlet itself was closed because female seals were giving birth to their pups on the multitude of icebergs which float near the head of the inlet. Even from afar, the John Hopkins Glacier was a sight to behold as it wound its way down from the mountains. When we had fully taken in the sight of the beautiful glacier, we turned around and began heading for our anchorage in Reid Inlet. Along the way we passed Lamplugh Glacier, which had a raging river flowing out from under it. It was quite a sight to behold.

At the head of Reid Inlet sits the Reid Glacier, a beautiful tidewater glacier. We anchored near the mouth of the small inlet, the glacier clearly in view. When we were anchored and settled in, everyone enjoyed dinner and a peaceful evening in our spectacular setting before turning in for a good night’s rest.

Navigator in the Ice	Up Close at the Margerie Glacier	Johns Hopkins Glacier

June 30 - Reid Inlet to South Sandy Cove 
We started our day with a shore walk to the face of the Reid Glacier. At 8 o’clock, Jordan began ferrying people ashore at the base of the enormous river of ice. The Reid Glacier loses almost all of its ice to evaporation and melting, which is to say that large chunks of ice rarely fall from the face of the glacier. As a result, it is possible to walk right up to the face of the glacier and touch it. All around, the area was strewn with rubble and crushed stone, a testament to the immense power of the glacier. It was an incredible experience, standing at the foot of the glacier’s face, dwarfed by the mountain of blue ice.

After we returned to the boats, we hauled anchor and left Reid Inlet. Our destination for the day was South Sandy Cove, nearer to the mouth of Glacier Bay, but first we made a detour into the nearby Tidal Inlet. This gorgeous body of water is surrounded by towering peaks, clothed in a beautiful shroud of lush green vegetation. Here and there, waterfalls plunged down the steep cliffs, fueled by the melting snow at the mountains’ peaks. Atop one of these mountains we spotted a group of 7 mountain goats, one of them clearly a young animal born this spring.

When we left Tidal Inlet, we headed toward South Sandy Cove. As we cruised, the water around us flattened out until it was smooth as glass. This made the conditions perfect for spotting wildlife. Along our way we saw 2 humpback whales, a number of sea otters, and many harbor porpoises. It truly was an incredible day to be in Glacier Bay.

Late in the afternoon, we pulled into South Sandy Cove and anchored the boats. We spent the evening relaxing in the beautiful inlet, surrounded by beautiful grassy shores. After dinner, the crew of Navigator spotted a mother moose and her calf walking along the beach. Really, we could have asked for nothing more to top off this wonderful day.

Shore Walk at Reid Glacier

Glacier Bay Scenery

July 1 - South Sandy Cove to Elfin Cove 
After we pulled anchor this morning, we left South Sandy Cove and headed to the south. We would leave Glacier Bay behind us and continue on toward Sitka. We were a little sad to leave this beautiful place, but we were excited for the journey ahead. As we cruised toward the mouth of the bay, we passed South Marble Island. This small island is the nesting site of thousands of seabirds, which raise their young on its rocks, cliffs, and lush grassy slopes. The island is also home to a haulout of Steller sea lions, which were strewn around in piles of furry bodies, basking on the sun-warmed rocks.

We continued onward towards the mouth of the bay, cruising on incredibly glassy seas. Along the way, we saw many sea otters eating, sleeping, and playing in the calm waters. After about two hours of cruising, we crossed the park boundary and left Glacier Bay behind. We cruised out into Icy Strait and turned west, heading toward Elfin Cove. Almost immediately, we came across a humpback whale. One turned into two, two into three, until finally there were 15 or twenty of these huge animals surfacing around us. We were given a number of incredible opportunities to view these animals as we cruised west.

On the way to Elfin Cove, it seemed that whales would surface every 10 minutes. Finally, we treated to the highlight of our day. As we cruised along, the fleet suddenly found itself in the midst of a group of 20 or 25 feeding humpback whales. All around us, tall misty blows appeared, followed by enormous black backs. A group of 5 of these animals took a particular interest in the fleet. We put our boats in neutral as these animals swam around and even directly under our boats. With each surfacing, we could hear the powerful exhalation and we could even see the individual barnacles growing on the fins of these animals. Nearby, some of these animals began to feel exuberant, breaching, and slapping the water with their pectoral fins and tails. We must have stayed with these animals for 45 minutes before moving on towards Elfin Cove. It was agreed that this was the most whales ever seen in one day in the history of Mother Goose.

At around 3pm we arrived in the bustling little village of Elfin Cove. We moored the boats on the public dock and set about exploring the tiny town. The area is known for its incredible fishing, and many of the buildings in Elfin Cove are fishing lodges. A picturesque boardwalk runs all around the perimeter of the village. When we had finished walking around the town, we all gathered on Deception. Everyone brought appetizers and Casey gave a short talk about the whales we had seen today. After appetizers, everyone returned to their boats and made dinner before retiring for the evening. All in all, it was an incredible day!

Leaving Glacier Bay	Humpback Whales	Picturesque Elfin Cove

July 2 - Elfin Cove Lay Day 
Today we had a lay day in Elfin Cove. Some members of the fleet had booked fishing charters, and left at 7:45am to go out and try their luck fishing for salmon and halibut. The rest of us took the opportunity to sleep in and have a relaxing morning. We wandered around the town and looked inside the shops. At around 2 in the afternoon, the fishermen and women returned with a boatload of fish. They had caught many halibut, salmon, and a number of rockfish.

In the evening, we all gathered on Mystic Eagle for a big fish fry. We prepared the fish a number of ways, and it was all delicious. There is nothing like eating fish caught the same day. When we were all full and satisfied, we returned to our boats and headed to bed.

Barbara in Elfin Cove

The Fisherpeople

July 3 - Elfin Cove to Pelican 
We cast off our lines and left Elfin Cove at 10 o’clock this morning. Even as we were leaving the small town behind us, we were greeted by the blows of three humpback whales. It seemed to us to be a good omen for the day. So, with high spirits, we journeyed onward into the mouth of Lisianski Inlet. Not long after we had entered the inlet, we were rewarded with yet another wonderful wildlife sighting. This time it was a mother brown bear with a single cub. The pair were feeding in the tall grasses near the waters edge, and though they looked up to see us pass, they were completely unperturbed by our presence. We were treated to an incredible view of these two animals as we slowly motored by.

Before long, we arrived in the town of Pelican. As towns go, Pelican is no metropolis. It is a charming little town, one step up in size from Elfin Cove, with friendly inhabitants and a nice atmosphere. Shortly after mooring, many of us went up to Rose’s, one of the local bars, and ate lunch. The afternoon was sunny, and we spent it wandering the town and relaxing on the boats. Pelican has a rather impressive fireworks display, which for some unknown reason, it shows on the night of July 3rd. So, at 11:30pm, we watched the firework display before going to sleep to prepare for the next day’s journey.

Calm Waters

Pelican

July 4 - Pelican to Klag Bay 
Our route today would take us out onto the wide Pacific Ocean, and in order to ensure we would have the calmest seas possible, we departed Pelican at 6am. After casting off, we cruised back up Lisianski Inlet and turned left, up Lisianski Strait. As we headed toward the Pacific, we took a detour into the nearby Stag Inlet. This beautiful bay is a wonderful day to spot wildlife, and today was no exception. We saw 2 Sitka black tailed deer very close to us on the beach. Then, we spotted 2 brown bears, foraging in the morning sunshine.

We left Lisianski Strait and cruised out onto the Pacific Ocean. The weather was quite nice, and there was only a slow rolling swell. The fleet cruised along the shoreline, sheltered by a string of reefs, rocks, and islets, which turned the already calm water into perfectly flat seas. All around us, sea otters were swimming, diving, feeding, frolicking, and sleeping in the numerous kelp beds. Nearby, a whale surfaced before diving down into the depths.

As we neared Klag Bay, we came across a wonderful sight. In a small cove there was a large raft of sea otters. These animals sometimes gather together in large groups to rest and socialize. This raft had 50 or 60 animals in it, and as we cruised by they all lifted their heads and craned their necks to look at us. It was an amazing sight to see.

In the early afternoon we arrived in Klag Bay and set our anchors. The bay was once the site of the Chichagof Gold Mine. The remnants of this operation can still be seen on the beach and a short way up into the forest. We went ashore in the dinghy to look at the old equipment and the remains of the buildings. Then we walked up a trail into the forest to look at the old mine itself. When we had satisfied our curiosity, we returned to the boats and had dinner.

Not only was today the Fourth of July, it was also Bob’s birthday. So, at 8pm, everyone gathered on Deception for cake and presents. We popped open a bottle of champagne and sang happy birthday as he blew out his candles. Finally, after one or two helpings of cake and a great deal of socializing, everyone returned to their boats for the night.

Panning for Gold

July 5 - Klag Bay to Sitka 
Our last full day of Leg 3 of Mother Goose 2009 began, as usual, at 8am. We pulled anchor and left Klag Bay behind us. Our destination for the day was Sitka. After weaving our way through the myriad of small islands at the mouth of Klag Bay, we once again headed out onto the Pacific Ocean. Fortunately, we were again lucky with the weather. The boats floated up and down on a gentle swell and there was barely a breath of wind. As we cruised along, the sun began to burn through the layer of high fog above us and blue sky began to show through.

Suddenly, off to our right, there were 3 jets of mist and a small group of humpback whales surfaced. One of them slapped the water with its pectoral fin, as if waving hello to us. Nearby, 2 Steller sea lions splashed around in the water, chasing fish. It was a good day to be cruising on the Pacific Ocean.

Eventually, we turned into the protected waters of Salisbury Sound and behind Kruzof Island. The last trace of the morning’s fog had burned off and the sky was crystal clear. We pulled into Sitka at around 2pm and fueled the boats before tying up.

In the evening, we gathered on Deception for our last supper together. Everyone brought the provisions they had left over and we shared one last feast before everyone departed the next morning. It was the end of another incredible leg of Mother Goose 2009.

July 9 - Sitka to Klag Bay 
Leg #4 of Mother Goose 2009 is on its way! With a changing of the guard in the naturalist corner and a new group of charter clients, we are on our way to explore the waters between Sitka and Juneau via Glacier Bay.

After a couple of glorious days in Sitka, including one in which the temperatures exceeded historical record highs set for that day, we shoved off from the docks and headed for Klag Bay. We had not been in Neva Straits for long when we spotted the first brown bear of the trip! A couple of the boats went in for a closer look and Lady of Shalott captured an image of the bear on camera. Upon closer inspection of the image, it turned out that there was a cub as well!

We continued along making our way out into Salisbury Sound where we spotted a humpback whale. Other humpback whales graced us with their presence as we made our way up the west side of Chichagof Island. Rather than stay exposed to the Pacific Ocean, we took our chances in the rock pile known as Piehle’s Passage. This route cut an hour off of our transit time. With our lead boat captain guiding the way and all other captains minding their helms closely, we made it through without incident.

Continuing along towards Klag Bay we were fortunate enough to see many sea otters preening, eating and checking us out! We also spotted quite a few sea lions along the way.

Once at anchor we enjoyed a trip to the old gold mine on shore and then a salmon bake with our new friends! For our first day out, I’d have to say we are off to a good start with many spectacular sightings and a good time shared by all!

Leaving Sitka

July 10 - Klag Bay to Pelican 
We had about an hour to spend on the outer coast before today. There were some rolling seas out there, but overall very nice conditions. We spotted a couple of humpback whales before making our turn into Lisianski Strait, headed towards the town of Pelican. The morning had brought with it a small amount of fog, but as the afternoon approached, the sun came out. We decided to take a little detour into Stag Bay to look for bears and mountain goats. Although no wildlife was spotted, it was downright hot and the blue skies over the mountaintops were a sight to behold!

It wasn’t much further to our final destination for the day. The wind picked up a little just as we arrived at the docks making it a bit tricky to get tied up. Everyone handled their boats well, however, and once secure, we all walked up the dock to visit Pelican. Some had dinner at Rosie’s Bar and Grill while others enjoyed a quiet evening aboard their boats.

Visiting Pelican

July 11 - Pelican to Elfin Cove 
With only about 30 nautical miles to go, this was a short day of travel, but nonetheless spectacular! Our day’s events started with another brown bear sighting! Then coming out of Lisianski Inlet into Cross Sound it was as if we were in a National Geographic documentary. The rock formations on land are an incredible sight to behold and even more so when there are two humpback whales in the water just out in front of them. We cruised past an unnamed rock and spotted many sea otters rafted in the kelp beds as well as sea birds such as pigeon guillemots and pelagic cormorants flying in and out of their nesting sites. The rock was teeming with life! And Arctic Dream spotted another humpback whale as we departed.

As we left the no named rock, we headed right into a fog bank. Fortunately, our destination of Elfin Cove was right around the corner so we didn’t need to be out in the fog for long. We managed to make room for all of the boats at the dock. Lady of Shalott wasted no time in getting out and doing some fishing while Emmelina, Mystic Eagle and Audrey took a hike up the hillside.

As most people were headed out on a fishing trip the following day, we all turned in early and enjoyed a good night’s sleep at the dock in Elfin Cove.

Barry fishing

Elfin Cove hike

July 12 – Elfin Cove 
Today we took a lay day in Elfin Cove; however, most of the fleet was up at 6:00 a.m. in order to go fishing! They spent the day on the water and came back with the big catch. The Australians by far had the best luck of the day with John bringing in a 215 pound halibut and Linda catching a 115 pounder! The rest of the fleet fared pretty well also, so it was fish fry time aboard Deception tonight. Brian cooked up the halibut and Budd grilled the salmon on his barbecue. There was no lack of good fish to be had around here tonight!

Bringing in the catch

July 13 – Elfin Cove to Blue Mouse 
It was an early departure of 6:00 a.m. today. We had a lot of water to cover and a stop at the Glacier Bay park headquarters to make before heading “up bay” to our anchorage for the evening. On our way to Bartlett Cove where the park headquarters are, we saw so many humpback whales it was hard to know where to look. It was a good feeling to be surrounded by whales!

Once at Bartlett Cove the skippers attended their mandatory park briefing while some of the rest of us decided to take a little walk on one of the park’s trails. We were pleasantly surprised to find a moose with her two calves feeding on buckbean in a big bog. The cow had a radio transmitter collar around her neck. Her whereabouts are being tracked by the park.

After lunch up at the lodge we were on our way. Not long after getting underway Orcas were spotted about three miles off in the distance! Many thanks to Captain Brian for adjusting our course just slightly to give us a better chance of being able to see the whales. Fortunately for us the Orcas also adjusted their course just slightly and we were able to get a good look at what appeared to be six or so transient killer whales patrolling the area for unsuspecting harbor seals or Steller sea lions. It was quite a treat to see these magnificent creatures!

On we continued to our anchorage for the night. With blue skies above, we all enjoyed a quiet evening in Blue Mouse Cove. All that is except for the Hanson clan who fished all evening and managed to hook a halibut!

Orca in Glacier Bay

Moose

July 14 – Blue Mouse to Reid Inlet 
Today was the day of ice! We visited the Marjerie, Grand Pacific, Lamplugh and Johns Hopkins glaciers. At each we marveled at the enormity and majesty of a glacier. The Margerie and Johns Hopkins were incredible to see as we had to push away ice with our boats in order to get a close look. They were also impressive in that both are calving into the sea and almost constantly making grumbling thunderous noises. The Lamplugh, although on land now, had a river of water flowing out from beneath it in one spot that was also incredible to see.

Once at our anchorage in Reid Inlet, we went ashore and were able to stand at the face of the Reid glacier. Some folks hiked up the side of it to get a better view.

Back on the boats we enjoyed a social evening with a potluck hosted by our new friends on Mystic Eagle!

Enjoying the glacier!

July 15 – Reid Inlet to North Sandy Cove 
For the first day since we could remember, we woke up to clouds. There were some low lying clouds in front of the mountains that were actually quite beautiful. Given that we had impeccable weather for the majority of the trip, we were not complaining. We were a little disappointed to not be able to spot mountain goats because of the clouds, but other than that, the seas were calm and cruising was quite enjoyable.

On the way to North Sandy Cove we stopped by South Marble Island and checked out the Steller sea lions hauled out there as well as the tufted puffins flying in and out of their burrows. Black legged kittiwakes, pigeon guillemots and pelagic cormorants were some of the other birds we observed nesting there. The island was teeming with life!

As we made our way into North Sandy Cove, one of the boats spotted a black bear on shore. It ran along the shore before going right into the water and then swimming to the island just across the channel. What a site to see!

Bear swimming ashore

July 16 – North Sandy Cove to Swanson Harbor 
Another flat calm day on the water! The day began with a bit of fog and mist. We departed North Sandy Cove at 6:00 a.m. given that we had 60 miles to go. It was a bit sad to be leaving Glacier Bay after such an astounding time there. Just after radioing the park to let them know we were exiting, Lady of Shalott hailed Deception to let us know that they had a fuel leak! No problem for Captain Brian. We launched the dinghy and headed over with his doctor’s bag (tool kit) and secured the leak. Later at the dock, he and John from Mystic Eagle would put in some tubing and a hose clamp to fix the problem at least until getting back to Bellingham. The fix did not come before Barry brought the boat into the dock at Swanson Harbor on one engine however! He did a great job with no incident!

At Swanson Harbor we held our last supper together along with talent night and the showing of our photo DVD that commemorated our time together. Hard to believe that one more day of cruising together would bring this adventure to a close.

Swanson Harbor

July 17 – Swanson Harbor to Juneau 
Sunshine, sunshine, sunshine! We awoke at Swanson Harbor to lots of sun. The cruise to Juneau was very enjoyable with only a little but of wind chop through Lynn Canal. The Coast Mountain Range was visible in all its glory. Once we got close enough to see the Mendenhall Glacier, it was a beautiful site with the Pt. Retreat lighthouse in the distance as well.

Emmelina had been talking about the bubble net feeding humpbacks the whole trip with the hopes of happening upon a group of whales engaged in this cooperative feeding behavior. Finally, just off of Shelter Island, not far out of Auke Bay our final destination, the bubble netting humpbacks were found! We got to watch approximately twelve whales as they burst out of the waters with mouths wide open, and then blow continuously for a minute or so before all fluking and going back down and doing it all over again. What a great way to end the wonderful adventure that we have shared together!

Many thanks to all of our new friends for joining us on the Glacier Bay leg of Mother Goose 2009. It has been a pleasure meeting and getting to know all of you and we sincerely hope to see you all again!

Bubble net feeding

July 21 – Juneau to Tracy Arm Cove 
Leg #5 of Mother Goose 2009 began this morning with an 8:00 a.m. departure. Not far out of Auke Bay we spotted the first humpback whale of the trip. It didn’t appear to be a very large individual. Not all of the boats got to see it, so we hoped to find more along the way.

Outside of Taku Inlet there was obviously a fishing opening as the passage was filled with gillnetters with their nets set. It was interesting to watch their operations including the offloading of some fish onto a tender.

Not far past Taku Inlet we started seeing icebergs in the water. We weren’t sure if they had come from the Taku glacier, which is not tidewater, or if they had drifted up from our destination at Tracy Arm.

Once anchored in Tracy Arm Cove, Jordan led an expedition to collect ice from the bergs and some folks also went ashore to explore there. Lots of bear sign (ie. skat) was found but no actual bear sightings.

Our first evening together was spent having a fish fry aboard Deception. It was nice for everyone to continue to get to know each other a little more and an enjoyable evening was had by all!

Underway

July 22 – Tracy Arm Cove to South Sawyer Glacier 
Today was a fun day for the Mother Goose fleet! Everyone came aboard Deception early this morning and headed for the South Sawyer Glacier. We never know what Tracy Arm will have in store for us in terms of ice in the waterways and today was no different. As we rounded each of the bends getting closer to the glaciers, we hoped that ice conditions would not preclude us from reaching the face of the glacier. But thanks to Captain Brian’s expertise maneuvering amongst the bergy bits, Deception was able to make it up to within a quarter mile of the glacier. We were surrounded by ice! Susan was lucky enough to catch one of the big calving events while others only saw the splash after the ice had hit the water.

Off in the distance we could see many harbor seals hauled out on the ice. In fact, the ice seemed absolutely covered with these marine mammals hoping to avoid predation while calving and raising their pups.

Alas, knowing we’d have to maneuver our way back the same way we came, Captain Brian turned the boat around to head back towards home for the evening. He took many opportunities to stop and cruise in close to some of the waterfalls along the way.

Back at anchor in Tracy Arm Cove everyone settled in for dinner and a quiet night on the boats. Our tranquil evening was disturbed once by the wake from a cruise ship. The boats rocked back and forth like corks! If it wasn’t battened down, it was sliding or rolling onto the floor. Thankfully that didn’t last too long and everyone recovered with minimal damage!

In front of glacier

July 23 – Tracy Arm Cove to Cannery Cove 
We left Tracy Arm Cove at 0800 bound for Cannery Cove. Getting across the bar and out of Tracy Arm proved a bit tricky as the green navigation buoy had apparently been wiped out by two very large icebergs overnight. They were beautiful to look at, and there was almost enough room to go right between them, but we decided to go around and made out just fine even without the green can.

Coming out of Stephens Passage and into Frederick Sound was very fruitful in terms of whales. We saw quite a few individuals along the way. We also got to see a nice sea lion haulout at The Brothers Islands. At one point we were trying to view the sea lions but the whales kept getting in the way! It’s a problem that I don’t think anyone in the fleet was disappointed to have.

We made our way into Cannery Cove at dropped the anchor. Once all settled in, some of us went out for a tour of the cove in our dinghies. We saw a brown bear sow and her two cubs along the shore. We slowly motored their way so as not to disturb them but hoping for a closer look. Before we could get over to them they had already ambled off into the woods.

A couple of the boats went ashore for a family style meal at the Pybus Bay Lodge. The owner and his staff were quite hospitable and it was more like visiting old friends for dinner than eating out. The lodge was very cozy and the food delicious!

Cruising with icebergs

July 24 – Cannery Cove to Petersburg 
We left Cannery Cove at 0430 in the morning! We had good reason to do so. Some of the participants were hoping to get a helicopter tour of the Baird Glacier, but we needed to be in Petersburg by 1230 in order to do so. The cove was quite picturesque at that time of the morning. Once back out in Frederick Sound however, there wasn’t much to see but fog all the way to Petersburg. We made it there in time for the helicopter tours but the fog was so thick that the planes were not flying. Nobody seemed to mind having left so early, though. Some were glad to have had the experience of navigating by radar while others were happy to get into Petersburg with enough time to walk around town.

Early departure

July 25 – Petersburg 
A lay day in Petersburg is always a fun time! Everyone had something to do. The Arctic Dreamers, two of the Navigators and most of the Mystic Eaglets went fishing. They had a great time out on the water and all came back with some fish.

The rest of the Navigators, the Shalottians and Emmelina went on a bog and forest walk/city tour. The weather cleared up nicely and it was actually warm and sunny in the bog. We got a chance to see the carnivorous Round-leaved Sundew that lives in the bogs and many other plants there and in the forest as well.

Back in town folks tried out the eateries in Petersburg for lunch and took the opportunity to get a little laundry done. All of the walking about town was all the better with the amazing view of the mountains in the distance, including not often seen Devil’s Thumb, an incredible granite peak that is more often than not covered in clouds at 10,000 feet!

Beautiful scenery

July 26 – Petersburg to Wrangell 
What an incredibly gorgeous morning! We woke with clear blue sunny skies all around and a completely clear view of the Coast Mountain Range. This was one of those mornings that made you feel truly blessed to be in Alaska.

Our route today took us through the Wrangell Narrows. With approximately 70 navigational markers, 20 feet of water at the shallowest spot and only 100 yds across at the narrowest point, this 21 mile waterway is a unique experience for any mariner. Then throw in a little bit of fog and things can get interesting! We did head in to a fog patch, but fortunately it only lasted a short while. The rest of the time in the narrows was spent scanning the shore for bears, looking at eagles and navigating carefully through the waterway.

The remainder of our journey to Wrangell was quite picturesque. We arrived at the docks in the early afternoon which gave folks plenty of time to have lunch and relax a bit before heading off to the petroglyph beach. There we examined the rock carvings left by people thousands of years ago on this small stretch of beach in Wrangell. On the way to the beach we also happened to catch a presentation given by a local Tlingit woman at the Chief Shakes longhouse on Shakes Island adjacent to the harbor. It was interesting to hear of her ancestry and learn of some of the Tlingit culture.

Back at the boats most everyone dined on the flybridge in honor of the sunny warm evening!

Petroglyph

Enjoying the sun

July 27 – Wrangell 
Our layday in Wrangell was what many people had anxiously been awaiting. Eric Yancey of Breakaway Adventures was scheduled to take us to the Anan Wildlife Observatory in one of his jet boats. Anan is one of the very few locations on the planet where brown and black bears are known to coexist. There is a raging creek that pink salmon return to year after year to spawn. When they are headed upstream, there is almost nothing that will stop them; nothing that is except for the bears that are waiting there to feed upon them. The US Forest Service has set up a viewing platform from which you can view the bears. There is nothing that would actually stop the bears from climbing right onto the platform themselves and some have been known to use the railings to help them climb up into the trees. So for the most part people and bears stay separate but it’s always a good idea to be very aware and very cautious and remember that you are in the bears’ habitat!

We saw many bears, mostly black, but some brown as well feeding upon salmon the entire time we were there. We got to see moms with their cubs and some territorial behavior between some of the bears. We also saw eagles and crows taking advantage of the fact that bears are messy eaters and have their favorite parts of the salmon to eat. The rest is left behind for scavengers and some decomposes into the forest floor and is actually known to help provide nutrients back into the trees.

It was an incredible day and not one that will soon be forgotten. It helped that the sun was still shining!

Shakes Island

Cub in tree

July 28 – Wrangell to Meyer’s Chuck 
Today was another glorious day! The sun was shining brightly above as we made our way out of Wrangell. The gillnetters were out as we headed down Zimovia Strait. It was interesting to watch their operations as we cruised by. Towards the end of the straits we made our way through a small group of islands. It was nice to be close to shore again to see the trees up close and the harbor seals hauled out on the rocks. We happened into a spot where there were many crab pot floats out. After exploring one of the coves in the area, we made a note to visit this spot in the future on one of our guided flotillas. Good anchorage, crabs… what else could you ask for???

Deception spent the next hour or so waiting for the Breakaway Adventures boat that would be bringing some of our clients back that went to see the bears at Anan. The rest of the boats went off on their own to do some exploring. Arctic Dream went and found and anchorage, dropped the hook and made some lunch. Navigator and Mystic Eagle went and found a halibut spot and dropped a couple of hooks of their own while Lady of Shalott puttered around the area enjoying the nooks and crannies along the waterway.

Once all of the bear watchers were back on board, we made our way to Meyer’s Chuck. Clarence Strait was a bit windy and choppy but that didn’t stop Debbie from spotting a humpback whale along Deception’s starboard side! And to top it all off we had a group of Dall’s Porpoise that came and rode our bow waves into Meyer’s Chuck. It literally felt like they were there to welcome and guide us in.

Once in Meyer’s Chuck we enjoyed our last evening out in the wilds of Alaska together. We had our famous last supper with plenty of halibut and salmon for all. The talent show was entertaining as always and we all enjoyed reminiscing about our time together.

July 29 – Meyer’s Chuck to Ketchikan 
Today was leg #5's last day on the water. It began nicely in Meyer's Chuck as we enjoyed the fresh made sticky buns sold on the dock there. Jordan and Emmelina gathered up the freshly made morsels and delivered them to each of the boats.

We made our way out of Meyer's Chuck and back into Clarence Strait. We enjoyed another sunny day on the water as we made our way towards Ketchikan. As we reached Behm Canal we said so long to the Navigators who chose to stay out a couple more nights as they would also be joing us for the following leg and had some time to play longer. We wished them fair winds and calm seas and made our way into Tongass Narrows. We spent our last evening together having dinner at Annabelle's in Ketchikan. It was nice to share one last meal together before the following day when we'd need to say goodbye to those heading home. We are so glad to have met the folks who joined us for leg#5 and hope to see each and every one of them again in the future!

August 2 – Ketchikan to Foggy Bay 
Day one, leg #6. We have begun our final leg of Mother Goose 2009 and are on our way back down to Bellingham with perhaps one of the rowdiest bunches we’ve had all summer! We truly have a great bunch of folks and this promises to be a fun leg back home.

We left the docks in Ketchikan this morning expecting to encounter 25 knot winds out in Dixon Entrance. Our destination was Foggy Bay, just before the beginning of Dixon Entrance. One can usually feel the effects of the open water, however, in Revillagigedo Channel. But not today! It was tempting to keep right on going as the seas were much flatter and the wind much calmer than had been predicted. We decided to go ahead and stop as planned and we were all glad we did!

It was a magical first evening together in Foggy Bay! Maybe it had something to do with the good omen humpback that greeted us at the mouth of the bay. In any case, we all had a terrific time there. Some folks went on a dinghy tour of Verry Inlet. Not long after entering the inlet, Emmelina spotted a black bear sow with two cubs on the beach. The young bears were so small they had to have been this year’s cubs. Continuing on into the inlet was a very scenic and beautiful trip.

Two of the Navigators and two of the Arctic Dreamers went out in their dinghies for a little adventure of their own. They exited Foggy Bay and tried their luck at fishing. Luck was on their side today, or maybe it was skill! Either way, between the two boats they caught four silvers and four pink salmon!

Back at the five boat raft that evening Brian treated everyone to his special halibut recipe and grilled salmon. The other boats provided the side dishes for a potluck that was quite delicious. We’re off to a great start on leg #6!

Entering Foggy Bay

Willard's fish

August 3 – Foggy Bay to Prince Rupert 
The weather forecast called for diminishing winds this morning and fog. Well, they got some of it right. We woke to the beautiful scenery of Foggy Bay including no wind and no fog! We released our three shore ties, pulled our three anchors and disassembled our five boat raft. We headed out into Dixon Entrance and experienced a little bit of rolling seas but no uncomfortable conditions to speak of. And as the day progressed, Dixon Entrance became calmer and calmer until finally Ron asked on the radio, “Did anyone bring their water skis?!” It was as calm and serene as a lake out there. The weather gods were shining down upon us today!

We cruised along and spotted the back of a humpback whale but no real blow to speak of and no sounding. As we got closer we realized that the whale was definitely resting, just kind of logging at the surface and not really every going down. Then, just as the whale was about to be out of site, it began to awaken. It rolled over on its back and its pectoral fins were flapping in the air. It seemed to be stretching and rolling out of bed! It was quite a site to see.

As we cruised along further we encountered another large humpback and were able to watch it travel along for a short while.

We cruised passed the village of old Metlakatla and through Venn Passage and finally began to see the Prince Rupert waterfront in the distance. We all came in and got secured to the docks, cleared customs and were on our way into town for provisions. Some folks enjoyed dinner on their boats while others decided to try the food in town. The Breakers Pub was a hit as usual.

For our loyal readers, tomorrow we are off for Newcombe Harbour and the wilds of the BC coast. Our next Internet connection will be in Shearwater in five days. We hope to be able to update you of our adventures then. Thanks for reading!

Dixon Entrance or a lake?

August 4 – Prince Rupert to Newcombe Harbour 
We left Prince Rupert at 0800 and were surrounded by fog by 0815. The first couple of hours were spent navigating by radar and looking out for other vessels making their way through the fog. Eventually, though, the fog did lift and we were treated to the scenery of Ogden, Principe and Petrel Channels. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful cruise to Newcombe Harbour. Along the way we saw incredibly large raft after raft of Rhinoceros Auklets and various Dall’s and Harbor porpoise sightings.

When we arrived to the entrance of Newcombe Harbour we noticed that there was an eagle sitting atop a snag, seemingly welcoming us in. We found anchorages, dropped a few hooks and settled in for the evening. Some folks enjoyed happy hour on their flybridges and decks while others went on dinghy explorations and out to set crab pots. We did not let the horseflies or later the no-see-ums from stopping us from enjoying Newcombe Harbour to the fullest!

Newcombe Harbour

Traveling in fog

August 5 – Newcombe Harbour to Hawk Inlet 
After such a foggy morning and sunny afternoon yesterday, we expected to wake to fog again. That made the sunny clear morning that we were greeted by that much more enjoyable!

We should have known it was going to be an incredible day when we left Newcombe Harbour and almost immediately spotted a wolf on shore. Ron on Mystic Eagle was the first one to see it followed by the folks on Navigator. By the time Navigator passed there were two wolves on the beach!

Next we were treated to an exploratory route put together by Brian which took us back through the Math Islands and Ala Passage. It was incredible to be so close to shore; close enough in fact that we saw purple and orange sea stars clinging to the rocks.

Once back out in Principe Channel we hadn’t gone very far when we spotted Orcas coming right for Deception! This was such an absolute treat! There were approximately 15 individuals including six males with very tall dorsal fins and one little tiny baby whale. It was so young that later examination of photos revealed its orange tint on its white patches. The whales were grouped tightly together and would come up and take many breaths before disappearing for approximately five minutes, which is a bit long for Orca whale dives. But then when they resurfaced they weren’t far from their previous location. We surmised that the whales were in a resting pattern and were hanging out just beneath the surface of the water. Sure enough, as they passed the fleet and reached a set of low lying rocky islands, they stopped and rested for quite some time. They stayed right at the surface of the water and occasionally sank down a bit revealing only the tips of their dorsal fins. We stayed and watched for awhile until the orcas began to slowly make their way out into Principe Channel moving in the opposite direction as we were going.

We cruised on further and were just about to Otter Channel when we spotted more whales. This time it was humpback whales breaching in the distance! We saw quite a few breaches and then started seeing blow after blow. It became clear that there was a large pod of humpbacks up ahead which usually indicates bubble net feeding. We kept our binoculars glued to the spot where we had last seen them blow and sure enough; next we saw huge mouths breaking the surface of the water! The humpbacks just happened to be feeding in the direction we were traveling, so we got to watch them for quite some time as we approached them. We were very careful to keep our 100 yard distance and were able to see them at that distance as we rounded Fleishman Point. It was a spectacular sight and we could hardly believe how lucky we had been today.

Orcas

Bubble netting humpbacks

August 6 – Hawk Bay to Khutze Inlet 
Today would be a special day for all of us, but most of all for the crew of Arctic Dream. Khutze Inlet holds a special place in their hearts because of the affinity that their late husband and friend had for this beautiful spot. They were on their way there to honor the life of their dearly departed and the rest of the fleet was there to support them in their objective.

We left Hawk Bay an hour later than intended due to thick fog. Although it was still foggy as we left, we could at least see the shoreline in the tiny bay where we had spent the night. Once out of Hawk Bay we traveled slowly and navigated by radar. And thankfully, not being able to spot whales in the distance, our majestic friends made it easy on us by surfacing right next to the boats! Their tranquil and peaceful mode of travel matched the surreal ambience created by the fog. We saw at least six individuals as we cruised through the fog and even got to hear their eerie vocalizations being produced through their blowholes.

Eventually the sun appeared and we had beautiful calm seas once again as we cruised along admiring the beauty of Fraser Reach. Once at our destination for the evening, Arctic Dream went off to have a private celebration of Bob’s life at the head of the inlet while the rest of us rafted near the entrance to the inlet. We at NW Explorations were honored to have been able to travel here to this spot with the Arctic Dreamers and be a part of their special remembrance of Bob.

Checking out Butedale

The Arctic Dreamers

August 7 – Khutze Inlet to Culpepper Lagoon 
We left Khutze Inlet at 0800 and headed towards Culpepper Lagoon. It was hard to tell if what we were seeing around us were low-lying clouds or high fog. Regardless it was not a clear morning, but there was plenty of visibility for navigating which we were thankful for. It was a beautiful morning out on the water!

We left Graham Reach and entered Heikish Narrows. After entering Sheep Passage we were treated to one of the most spectacular sightings of the entire summer; the rare viewing of a Spirit Bear!!! The Spirit, or Kermode bears as they are also known are white and are a rare genetic variation of a black bear. Not only were we fortunate enough to see it, but we also got to watch it for a short time as it pulled down devil’s club leaves and ate the berried from it. We saw it scratch itself on an old snag and reach up into the shrubs for more berries. It was a sighting that we felt very grateful to have been able to witness!

Further up Sheeps Passage we went until we entered Kynoch Inlet. Words cannot describe the majestic beauty found here in Fjordland Recreational Area. The sheer granite cliffs and mountains that have been rounded over by glaciers are breathtaking to behold. It helped that just as we entered the inlet, the clouds separated and the sun shone down upon us. The blue skies behind the mountains made them that much more beautiful. The Arctic Dreamers even spotted a mountain goat with her kid amongst the cliffs.

We had an exciting ride through the Culpepper Narrows and once back in the lagoon all proceeded to find anchorages. Culpepper Lagoon is not the easiest place to anchor but after a short time all the boats were nestled in their spots for the evening. Some folks made their way into their dinghies and up the river in search of wildlife while others set crab pots or relaxed onboard. It was a peaceful evening in the wilderness of Culpepper Lagoon!

Exploring narrow passageways

Spirit Bear

August 8 – Culpepper Lagoon to Shearwater 
It was hard to leave Culpepper Lagoon this morning. It was such a beautiful anchorage that we could have easily spent the day there taking in the magnificent views and exploring the river again. Getting to Shearwater also sounded appealing and we needed to get the miles behind us, so onward we went!

Shooting the rapids out of Culpepper Lagoon was definitely an adrenaline rush. All of the boats handled themselves quite well and enjoyed the ride. Back out in Kynoch Inlet the low-lying clouds hanging amidst the granite mountains was absolutely gorgeous. We cruised down Mathieson Channel and into Reid Passage. Just before reaching Seaforth Channel Bill spotted a small black bear swimming across the channel! We slowed the boats and watched as it made it onto shore. What a site to see!

When we rounded the corner into Seaforth Channel we saw more boats than we had seen in the past four days. It appeared that we had definitely entered civilization! But just to remind us that we were still in the wilds of the BC Coast, we spotted ANOTHER pod of Orcas! This was a group of about six animals that appeared to be socializing and slowly traveling. We saw lots of tail lobs and spyhops. At one point one of the whales rolled over on its back and we could see its pectoral fins in the air. There was one very young whale in the group that appeared to be a bit more playful than the others.

What a day; amazing views, a bear swimming across the channel and more orcas! This has definitely been an amazing leg so far! And Happy Birthday to Sandy on Arctic Dream. We are so pleased to be able to celebrate her birthday with her!

August 9 – Shearwater to Fury Cove 
We left the docks in Shearwater at 0800 and made our way down Lama Passage. It was a misty morning that proceeded to get foggy as we made it out into Fitz Hugh Sound. Fortunately the fog never completely surrounded us and finally began to burn off completely by late morning. And thank goodness it did! Fitz High Sound, as usual, turned out to be a great place for spotting whales. At one point, just before entering our destination, we were surrounded by whales! It was hard to know which whale to watch because there were so many all around. The whales were not grouped tightly together, rather very spread out. One humpback in particular surfaced quite near our boats and was engaged in feeding. Its entire mouth came up out of the water wide open on several occasions. As each boat went by everyone got a good look at humpback feeding behavior!

The whales pretty much led us into Fury Cove. Once inside we searched out anchorages for the evening. Deception dropped the hook and Arctic Dream and Lady of Shalott rafted up to her. Mystic Eagle found a spot and had Navigator come along side. There was a plan to all meet for dinner as Arctic Dream had been given a nice size salmon by some folks in Shearwater, but as the rain came down the Mystic Eagle raft decided to stay dry, cozy and warm on board instead. The three remaining boats had a nice dinner together and sent salmon over to Mystic Eagle and Navigator.

The fleet retired early as the captain called for an 0530 departure in order to get across Queen Charlotte Sound in what we hoped to be comfortable conditions. With the winds picking up over night it wasn’t clear what we would find once out in that large expanse of open ocean!

Koeye	Humpback mouth	Barb cooks salmon for the fleet

August 10 – Fury Cove to Blunden Harbor 
It was still dark at 0530 so we delayed departure for just a bit to ensure everyone could see their way out of Fury Cove. Just after exiting our safe little harbor we started to feel the motion of the ocean which were the swells of Queen Charlotte Sound. The wind was blowing a good 15 knots and we began to anticipate a not so pleasant crossing. But as we got further out it seemed that the good luck we’d had the rest of the trip would continue. The conditions were not exactly flat calm but they were definitely bearable and we were around Cape Caution by 0845!

We made our way across Queen Charlotte Sound and into the Walker Island Group. Unfortunately, the mooring buoy we had used in the past had been removed and another boat was already in there, which didn’t leave much swinging room for the fleet. So we left the lucky little boat in peace and went off to Blunden Harbor, a very nice alternative to Walker Cove.

In retrospect, it was fortuitous that Walker Cove did not work out for us because as we cruised towards Blunden Harbor we spotted an excellent Steller sea lion haul out and a humpback mother and calf! The sightings were almost simultaneous and since the humpbacks surfaced so close to the fleet, I would have to say that they won most of the attention. It is almost unbelievable how many whales we have seen on this trip! Never before has this particular leg been so chalk full of whales and it would be hard to think of another Mother Goose leg where the quality of the whale encounters exceeded those we’ve experienced since leaving Ketchikan!

This afternoon and evening was a day for resting and working on fix-it projects on the boats. Blunden Harbor was a nice peaceful place for doing just that! And we even had a couple of harbor porpoises and red throated loons come in and visit us while anchored there.

Whale tail	Steller sea lions	Blunden Harbor

August 11 – Blunden Harbor to Port McNeill 
Today was a short day; only 24 miles or so to go from Blunden Harbor to Port McNeill. We even got to sleep in a little bit as departure was delayed until 0900. The morning was partly cloudy and as we set off across Queen Charlotte Strait the rain began to fall ever so lightly. The seas were flat calm and it was an enjoyable ride into Port McNeill. Our excitement for the day came from our trusty captain and first mate recognizing on Nobletec that a large transporter vessel, barge and the fleet could possibly converge at the same point in approximately 42 minutes. The tricky part was that although we were not in fog, the two vessels coming from either direction were, and we could not get a visual on them. Brian hailed each of the commercial vessels to ensure they were aware of our presence. The captains were appreciative for the calls and an avoidance plan was agreed upon. The Mother Goose fleet slowed its vessels just long enough for the Hector to get past then scooted past its stern, and then was able to tuck in behind the Impala. It was impressive to see the two large ships passing each other and being the little boats among the two out there on the water.

We made it into Port McNeill just after noon. The docks there were bustling and a couple of the boats had to wait for others to leave before securing their space on the dock. Once everyone was in and tied up for the afternoon, the goslings scattered into town. Provisioning, gift shopping and enjoying a meal in a restaurant were all welcomed activities amongst the crews.

Ron bringing in the anchor

Two ships passing

August 12 – Port McNeill 
Since leaving Ketchikan on August 2nd, the fleet had not spent more than one night in any one location. It seemed as though everyone was pleased to have this layday in Port McNeill. Some folks opted to stay onboard and check their e-mails, while others took their dinghy out to go fishing. The majority of the fleet, however, got their walking shoes on and headed over to the ferry terminal to take a day trip to Alert Bay. We visited the U’mista Cultural Center where we learned about the prohibition of potlatches in 1884 and the confiscation of treasured potlatch items in 1920 from the Kwakwakawak First Nations people. It is difficult to put into words how meaningful a trip to the U’mista Cultural Center can be. It is a glimpse into the past yet also into the future of the culture of the people who have been in this area since time immemorial.

Back in Port McNeill folks enjoyed a last evening ashore. Tomorrow we’d be off early in the morning headed for Lagoon Cove!

Visiting U'mista Cultural Center

Waiting for the ferry

August 13 – Port McNeill to Lagoon Cove 
After two nights on the dock in Port McNeill it was time to cast off the lines again and make our way into Johnstone Strait. There was a bit of fog out on the water this morning but it always managed to stay just ahead of us before finally turning into cloud cover overhead. We cruised past Alert Bay and got a look at the totem poles and carvings in the cemetery. Near Telegraph Cove we saw huge flocks of Rhinoceros auklets. These diving birds were literally covering the water!

We crossed Johnstone Strait and cruised along Hanson Island. Mary on Mystic Eagle spotted a minke whale. She got to see it a few times before it dove. Just before reaching the tip of the island we saw many orcas coming across Johnstone Strait. We knew that once they made the crossing they’d either head towards or against us. We watched through our binoculars as they milled around a bit before heading away. Too bad they didn’t come our way since we could see through our binoculars that there were at least 20 individuals including two males with gigantic dorsal fins!

Back in Baronet Passage we kept our out for bears but to no avail. We did however see a bald eagle atop a tree drying its wings. We surmised that it must have gone for a swim when trying to bring in a big salmon. We hoped it had been a successful hunt for the eagle!

As always, Bill at Lagoon Cove managed to squeeze us in at the dock. The highlight of the day, besides happy hour of course, was Jen’s arrival from one of the nearby islands with a boatload of baked goods for sale. You’d think the Mother Goose crews hadn’t eaten for days judging by the speed at which they bought out Jen’s cookies, pies, breads and sticky buns!

We all enjoyed happy hour at Lagoon Cove which includes freshly caught spot prawns and Bill’s bear stories. Afterwards we made it off to bed early in order to be rested for the 0530 departure we had planned for the following day.

Getting work done

Baked goods!

August 14 - Lagoon Cove to Gowlland Harbour 
Our 0530 departure turned into an 0600 departure as it was too dark to see the many crab pot floats out in Lagoon Cove at the originally intended time to leave. At first glimpse of daylight, we were off!

We made our way through Cracroft Inlet in the beautiful light of the early morning. A little further on down the way we spotted a black bear foraging on the beach. It appeared to be a very young bear. Unfortunately, it ambled off into the woods before all the boats had a chance to see it.

We spent most of the rest of the day transiting Johnstone Strait. For anyone who is familiar with this body of water, you’ll understand when I say that we were all grateful for flat calm seas, minimal wind and even a bit of sunshine out on the straits this morning.

We watched as a number of boats, both commercial and private made their way towards Seymour Narrows. The currents in the narrows run to 16 knots on the flood and 14 knots on the ebb. It is therefore imperative to arrive there at slack water. So along we went timing our approach and planning to see the narrows in a calm state!

Just as we approached the narrows and begin to transit them, Bill on Deception spotted a dolphin in the distance breaching continuously. This behavior, common to Pacific white-sided dolphins, gave us the first clue of what was in store for us up ahead. We then started seeing little splashes and dorsal fins all across the water. Soon enough we were surrounded by approximately 200 Pacific white-sided dolphins! Some of them left their pod for a brief moment long enough to ride our bow and stern waves before heading off in the opposite direction. It was an incredible encounter and added some excitement to the transiting of Seymour Narrows. Due to Captain Brian’s expert planning, without the dolphins, the Seymour Narrows would have been rather uneventful.

We made our way into Gowlland Harbour just as the clouds completely cleared to blue skies. It was a sunny warm afternoon which was perfect for dinghy explorations, lounging on Mystic Eagle’s back deck and even a little bit of swimming!

Lounging on Mystic Eagle

Enjoying the sun

August 15 – Gowlland Harbour to Newcastle Marine Park 
We were off this morning at 0600! The morning dusk slowly changed to daylight as we left Gowlland Harbour. It was a beautiful morning!

We made our way into Georgia Strait and since the water conditions were calm enough, we decided to go the outside route to Newcastle Marine Park. The route that would keep us protected by the islands would have added an hour to our day. Seeing as how we were already looking at a 10 hour day, we liked the idea of shaving off a little bit of time. So we spent the next eight hours on the exact same course line with lots of open water around us. It was a sunny day and the sea state stayed calm.

Once near Nanaimo and Newcastle Marine Park, things got busy! All of a sudden there were sailboats under sail, fast boats zipping around and float planes landing. It was a more activity than we’d seen in quite some time! Anchoring also turned out to be a bit different than we had been accustomed to. We made our way through many other anchored boats until we found space for yourselves.

Once settled in, many of the goslings headed over to the Dinghy Dock Pub for a little happy hour!

Water water everywhere

August 16 – Newcastle Marine Park to Montague Harbour 
We spent another couple of hours this morning out in the Strait of Georgia before cutting back into the inside through Polier Pass. The current was running about 5 knots against us and there was white water all around. The boats all kicked it up to at least 1600 rpms and pushed right on through. It was a pretty fun ride!

Once back on the inside it was a quick cruise down to Montague Harbour where we would anchor for the night. Some of us took advantage of the sunny, warm afternoon by taking a walk through the park and down to the white shell midden beach. We also did a bit of dock tide pooling and examined the many creatures living on the floats. Others relaxed with cocktails aboard Deception.

At around 4:30 we all got in our dinghies and headed over to the dinghy dock and up the road to catch the Hummingbird Pub Bus. It’s a fun ride to the pub with a very entertaining bus driver! We shared a good meal together then took the bus back down to the dock and turned in for the evening.

August 17 – Montague Harbour to Ganges Harbour 
Well we had a whole seven nautical miles to travel to Ganges Harbour today! We had a 10:00 a.m. departure so some folks went over to the Atrevida bakery for sticky buns before heading off.

The short journey was quite enjoyable as the sun was shining down upon us once again. It didn’t take us long to get the hooks down once we arrived and to hop in our dinghies. We headed to shore to enjoy lunch ashore in Ganges and then to stroll amongst the many little shops there.

Back on board the boats we enjoyed the traditional last supper together aboard Mystic Eagle and Deception. True to form for this group it was a night filled with laughter, hugs and tears as we reminisced over the past three weeks spent together. It was hard to say goodnight knowing tomorrow would be the least day spent cruising together.