Prince William Sound

The last three weeks of August was spent in Prince William Sound (PWS) exploring the many fjords and coves in Western PWS. Mark knew of numerous anchorages that he had used fishing, but we explored many new anchorages as well. Most of the bays and coves are in fjords that are deep right up to within a hundred meters of shore. And the tides in PWS can change as much as five meters, making getting close enough to shore to anchor difficult. As TAMARA was built in Sweden, her depth sounder is calibrated only in meters, and throughout our travels, all nautical charts--until returning to the US--are designated in meters as well. So we've gone metric!

In order to get into Serpentine Cove near the enormous and spectacular Harriman Glacier, we crossed the entrance bar, the remains of an old terminal moraine, on the high tide (+5 meters). At low tide the cove is nearly completely landlocked, with most of the bar exposed. Weather is always a factor as as well, with the norm 2/3 rain, 1/3 overcast or occasionally sunny. We waited in one anchorage a week before going up to Harriman Glacier so that we'd have good viewing, in the end well worth the wait.


There is a large group of Russian fisherman in PWS, many based out of Cordova for the fishing season. Known as Old Order Believers, they originally emigrated to the US from Mongolia, China in the early 60's by way of Brazil, and settled in Oregon. In 1968 a small group, feeling they needed more isolation to preserve they traditions, formed a settlement outside Homer, Alaska. Old Order Believers are a conservative sect of Russian Orthodox which broke off from the church in mid-1700's. They still speak their dialect of Russian, most having no English when they first arrived. When Mark was first in Cordova most males still worn the rubashka, a tunic-like shirt in bright colors, with elaborate embroidery work. They are very hard workers, keep mostly to themselves and speak Russian among themselves.


Sea Otters are quite successful in PWS and have provided many moments of entertainment. Out in the Sound they are found in small groups who pop their adorable fury heads up as you pass. They are the largest member of the weasel family, average 4-5 feet in length and weight anywhere from 50 - 100 lbs. Their diet consist of sea urchins, mussels, clams, crabs and snails and they eat 25% of their body weight each day. They dive down to the sea floor to search for food then come to the surface where they float on their backs using their stomach as a platform for eating.

Coming into Cordova was a homecoming for Mark who had kept his commercial boats here for nearly twenty years. On our first night in town we were invited to a Trident Seafoods fisherman appreciation event, where Mark reunited with many of his old friends. Several commented on seeing us come into the harbor and noting that TAMARA looked like a serious cruising boat, later to find out it was Mark's boat. During the first week in town, Mark was stopped numerous times by fisherman he'd worked with over the years. Many had followed our travels by reading our web site and this "blog".

Our main focus since coming to town has been getting the boat ready for it's winter here. This involves laying up the engine, draining all the water lines and replacing with non-toxic anti-freeze, removing, literally, a half ton of equipment to be shipped south in a huge crate aboard a friend's large fish boat and covering the cockpit area with a heavy industrial shrink wrap material to prevent a buildup of snow and keep the drains from freezing.

September is a near frantic, transitional month in Cordova. Commercial fishermen are finishing their season, putting up their boats, and those who live in the lower 48 are returning home. Moose season is open and local residents are out hunting, hoping to obtain their one allowed bull for the year. And many sport fishermen are out to catch coho salmon on the Copper River Flats (the Flats). Come October, the town's population is reduced by half it's summer size and the locals are enjoying the last Fall days before winter sets in.

Like the flocks of migrating ducks, geese and cranes overhead us each evening as they fly south, and the fishermen heading home, we too will soon be on our way to Port Townsend. Cordova will be the new home port for TAMARA, having sailed right round the Americas to arrive here. While we have not yet formalized our plans, next season we will sail west, with the Aleutians and the Bering Sea as possible cruising grounds.

Chenega Island, Prince William Sound

The clue should have been late last night when a salmon seine boat anchored right next to us, because at 6 am this morning a salmon opening began and by 7 am there were five seiner in our anchorage. We had planned on leaving with the tide at about 11 am but when we found ourselves being hemmed by seine net we made a quick departure. Welcome to Prince William Sound.

Since our arrival in Alaska six weeks ago, we had spent most of our time on the western half of the wild, isolated Alaskan Peninsula. Until we reached Kodiak Island we had encountered only one other yacht, having anchorages all to ourselves. And we've been amazed at the amount and variety of wildlife for viewing - brown bears, bald eagles, sea otters, whales (humpback, orcas), seals, red fox, and a variety of sea birds. And we've been feasting on Red salmon and halibut. Crossing Shelikof Straits to Kodiak Island brought us back to civilization.

The month of July, normally with good weather, was tempestuous on the Peninsula. The weather forecast kept changing daily making passage planning difficult. We had been on Nagai Island south of Sand Point when we got a forecast for 45 k westerly winds, so we headed back into Sand Point to wait for it to pass. But each time we'd see a window coming up the weather would change and we'd continue to wait. After a week in Sand Point we finally got a break and headed to an anchorage 30 nm east where we'd anticipated being able to continue on in 2 days. But once again the weather forecast changed - in one day we picked up anchor and moved 3 times with each 12 hour change in the forecast! With a strong westerly we were finally able to advance 150 nm to Port Wrangel, a fantastic small anchorage totally surrounded by high mountains and waterfalls. And the following day a light SW wind took us another 100 nm to Geographic Harbor, another incredible inlet in Katmai National Park.

Fortunately the day we arrived we had time to put the dinghy in the water and explore the large inner bay because after that the weather took a turn for the worst. A NE gale was forecast and we spent 2 days and a night hanging by our toenails in 35 k winds and williwaws up to 45 k! Every time we'd get hit by a williwaw, we'd heal over and start sailing on the anchor, and thought surely we'd break out the anchor and drag. Very stressful. But Tamara held tight!

The plan was not to spend time on Kodiak Island this year but save it for next year. But we did make a 24 hours stop and go to get fuel, fresh provisions and check internet at the Library. Good weather was forecast for crossing the Gulf of Alaska to Prince William Sound (200 nm) and we made a fast departure. Six hours out of Kodiak we got our first sighting of Orcas - one large male, five females and a baby!!

We're now back in Mark's old stomping grounds and will enjoy the next couple of weeks before making for Cordova. We intend to base Tamara in Cordova as it is the north country we wish to cruise, and from our point of view, journey's end on our 44,000 nm odyssey that began in 2000 in Fort Lauderdale.

Ciao, Nancy and Mark

Sanborn Harbor, Nagai Island in the Shimigan Island Group

12 July 2009

55 07 N
159 58.7 W

The reader will note, with the help of a general map or nautical chart, that we have not been logging a great many miles since out first landfall in Captain Harbor. The reason for this is that we deliberately left ample time for the Alaska portion of this season's cruise to poke around and explore, as well as to spend time in areas that Mark has known for many years, but due to the time constraints of the fishing industry was unable to spend the amount of time required to really come to know a place or people.

After some time anchored in Dolgoi Harbor, a fine natural harbor formed by the caldera of an extinct volcano, and not far from the massive and impressive occasionally active Mount Pavlov, we made our way to the small fishing port of Sand Point in the Shumagin Islands. Sand Point, while very modest in terms of the size and style of the homes and other amenities, once boasted the highest per capita income in the country. It may still, though with the severe price compression in the salmon industry, it has probably passed this mantle to somewhere like one of the walled in, gated and armored communities in Silicone Valley. In any event, Sand Point remains a small fishing port perched on a barren island just east of the Aleutian chain, within sight of the spectacular Alaska Peninsula and the volcanic cones common to the region.

These islands were first "discovered" by Europeans on Vitus Bering's voyage that terminated on Kayak Island near Cape Saint Elias in the Gulf of Alaska near Cordova. Cordova, where Mark based fishing boats for fifteen years, is where we will end our own odyssey this season. The unfortunate Shumagin was the first of Bering's crew to die, necessitating a brief stop for burial and water collection before the party continued to the east.

For many years there was a strong Russian influence here, driven by the hunting for sea otters by the resident Aleut peoples. At times, particularly in the very early years, this activity was encouraged by severe brutality, but the Russian influence remains today and is evident in ecleastical archetecture as well as numerous place names. Many of the Aleut descendants living in Sand Point today have Russian family names.

By 1850, even before the purchase of Alaska, American and British Canadian ships came to this area to trade for what few sea otter pelts remained, as well as to hunt northern fur seals and to fish the abundant cod resources. Sand Point's harbor provided a haven for these ships, and early photographs show large fleets of sealing and fishing schooners anchored just outside of what today is a fine small boat harbor.

Early in American administration, Sand Point became an important port for revenue cutters and other means of extending our political jurisdiction. It remains an important, though small, port today, serving the fishing industry. Large refrigerated freighters can safely anchor where the sealers once did, while the salmon fleet enjoys the inner harbor facilities.

Our purpose here, in addition to taking on fuel, water and provisions, was to get re acquainted with an area and community where Mark had spent considerable time more than 25 years ago performing a fisheries research and development project. Incidentally, although provisions purchased at the local supermarket were very expensive and somewhat limited, fuel and boat related bits such as fuel filters, rope, twine, insulated rubber gloves and so on were very reasonably priced at the local fish processing plant. Their notion is to provide a service for their fleet, not maximize profit on these items----an enlightened company store!!

While in the harbor, TAMARA of course was something of a curiosity, though not quite as much as one might expect. Each season a few yacht pass thru, some on attempts at the North West Passage, all taking advantage of the goods and services available here, as well as the harbor facilities. This past winter a French yacht was stored ashore, as Sand Point boasts a marine Travelift and a skilled operator, as well as frequent air service to Anchorage and the world.

But with Mark's background in fisheries, our time in Sand Point was rather more like old home week. He knew or knew of some of the fisherman, and several recalled his 91' QUIN DELTA from the fishing grounds. Before we knew it we had been presented with fine Alaska Red Salmon, our favorite, and we left with our small freezer plugged full.

Red Footed Hitch-hikers

Captain Harbor, Alaska Peninsular

26 June 2009

Captain Harbor, Alaska Peninsular
Lat 55 10 N
Lon 162 04 W

Arrived in Alaska on June 24, 2009, 17 days out of Hanalei Bay, Kauai. Wind was light, seas calm, skies partly clouded, and humpback whales greeted us as we entered Belkofski Bay. Our anchorage in Captain Harbor is secure behind two sand spits.

As we awoke the next day we discovered a large grizzly bear browsing our anchorage shoreline at low tide, giving us pause for a shore excursion. Once he was on the opposite side of the bay we took off for our own beach-combing.

Our plan is to stay here until the weekend then start exploring the bays of Dolgoi Island and Povlov Bay to the east before heading into Sand Point for fuel and supplies.

Voyage Particulars:

Departed: 07 June from Hanalei Bay
Arrived: 24 June, Captain Harbor, Alaska
Total Days: 17
Total NM: 2025 (119 nm per day)
Total Time Motored: 120 hours (approx 550 nm)
Weather: One gale, five days calm, otherwise winds mostly SW 15-25 k

Hawaii To Alaska Position Report #3

Position: 21 June 2009, 0400 UTC

47 40 N, 161.51 W

425 nm to landfall! Overcast skies, drizzle and fog. Winds out of the NW 15 k but should become more West this evening. Made 140 nm in last 24 hours! A low is approaching in two days but we expect to be above it when it moves East.

We expected to encounter more ship traffic but have averaged only two a day so our new AIS has had it easy.

All is well on board.

Hawaii To Alaska Position Report #2

Position Report: 16 June 1330 UTC

38 24 N, 160 28 W

1,000 nm from Kauai, 1,000 nm to Alaska - the half way point.

Wind out of the North, 5 k, motor sailing. Overcast skies, occasional drizzle.

We had 30+k winds from the SW for 12 hours on June 14th, then light winds for 15 hours, then light or no wind varying from N to S. Expect light winds for another 12 hours then to freshen from the SW. The lows have been mowing East one after the other between 40 N and 50 N. The next 4-5 days look good though expect strong winds within the week, just before landfall.

Overall the voyage has been good, though have been motoring a lot more the expected. All is well on board.