Excitement filled the air this morning as we prepared to set off on our final 2017 Mother Goose journey.  The group had spent the last few days in Ketchikan getting to know their boats, provisioning and exploring.  And, finally, it was time to head out!  Three weeks of adventure await us as we head south toward Bellingham.  While we enjoyed our time in Ketchikan but it felt wonderful to leave the cruise ships and tourists behind and get out onto the water.

The past four days have been clear and sunny; this is unusual for Ketchikan, which receives over 13ft of rain annually.  Needless to say, we are soaking up the sunshine.  Thankfully, the winds that had been predicted never picked up, and we had a gorgeous calm day for our first day out.  We were also fortunate enough to spot humpback whales, Dall’s porpoise, harbor seals, diving birds and bald eagles!  Not a bad first day.

Once in Foggy Bay, we followed a narrow passage into the protected waters of the inner harbor.  This was a beautiful anchorage and we had it all to ourselves!  We chose to raft all six boats together for the evening.  Dinghies and kayaks were launched and we headed out to explore the nearby tidal rapids and go fishing.  What an amazing place!  Narrow, winding channels connected long lagoons, and the tidal currents made it feel like we were exploring in a river.  The tide was out and purple sea stars clung to the kelp covered shoreline.  Bald eagles perched in the trees above, and we were even able to spot a massive eagle’s nest.

Deception hosted a happy hour where we were all able to get to know one another a little better.  This looks like it is going to be a great group.  Many of the crews have cruised with us in the past, so there is a lot of knowledge and experience among the group.  I am excited to learn from each crew and spend more time with them over the next few weeks.

Each crew went back to their own boats for dinner.  The evening was calm and warm, and we enjoyed sitting outside and watching the sun go down.  Three of the crews broke out their drones and buzzed around the anchorage.  It was a lovely, peaceful night, and I couldn’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else.