The fleet has sailed!  We headed south in Tongass Narrows and found the world less and less frantic as we went.  We passed the busy duck-boats ferrying tourists to and fro, the giant cruises ships looming over the town, the nimble cutter at the Coast Guard base, the festive totems at Saxman Village, and finally…calm.

Or relative calm.  Helayne on Artic Star took the honor of spotting the first whale, a diving humpback.  The crew on Thea decided that it was not a name, but an acronym standing for, “The Happiest Experience Allowable.”  We had harbor seals, Dall porpoises, and Steller’s sealions.  There was a good variety of birds from the 10-pound bald eagle, to the 1-ounce red-necked phalarope.

We went through Danger Passage and found it safe.  We arrived in Foggy Bay and found it sunny and warm.  Hurray for contrary Alaska!

The fleet pulled into a six-boat raft, but after that the crews broke into their separate activities.  Janet on Thea broke out a fishing pole.  Bob, Cathy, Marta, Doug, and Helayne took a dinghy on a tour of the harbor and found both species of giant kelp.  Everybody came together for a reception on Deception.

The day ended with the charming picture of Doug and Marta on Bonum Vitae snuggled up together on their foredeck, gazing out at the Alaskan wilderness.  The good life, indeed!