Overcast and cold, 46 deg this morning, turning to partly cloudy this afternoon. The typical weather pattern seems to include some afternoon clearing. Sunrise is 5:30 with sunset around 9:30pm.
I started my AM exercises before my alarm went off. Jon always gets up first and makes us mochas- yum! He deflated our extra big fender and waited to submit our preferred Glacier Bay application promptly at 8am. He also called with an explanation as the ranger had suggested, and got the voicemail again as expected. It’s going to be a long wait with no internet.
We departed shortly thereafter. S/v Frangipani had left already. Her captain yesterday voiced concern about the forecast for Wednesday. The prediction is 35-45 kts overnight for the Johnston Strait, making most travelers look for a solid dock to tie to this evening.
- 9:30 travelling through Lewis Channel, Squirrel Cove to port, Refuge Cove to our starboard.
- 10:50 exit Lewis Channel, Entering Calm channel.
- 12 noon, transit Yaculta rapids at slack, continue short distance to Stuart Island Public dock to join m/v True Fun, s/v Euphoria, and 23 plus harbor seals on the nearby rocks.
Jon chatted with the captain of True Fun who said they had engine failure in the Dent rapids. They were waiting for a spare part to arrive. We walked up to the closed store where the owners of Euphoria pumped Jon for information about stops along the Inland Passage. The store has a nice patio for BBQs and the laundry had two newish washers and dryers, so this would make a convenient place to do laundry close to the boat, if expensive. $5 wash/ $4 dry, low setting only, complementary coins if you need more time, apologies.
We continued on a 2 mile walk along a rocky, muddy fire road to Eagle Lake and back. It’s a small marshy edged body of water; a bald eagle was overlooking the lake from a snag. Along the way we passed Eagle Creek Lodge recreation area including a few holes of golf, frisbee golf and maybe a lap pool. Signs made clear these facilities were for guests only.
We can see the Yaculta rapids from here and they look foamy now and then and ominious currents wind along the public dock. I expect most boaters are hunkering down waiting for the 45 kt winds at midnight tonight. The seals jockey for rocks as the tide changes. Cell coverage is good. It’s a pleasant spot.
yacht Anomaly and M/V Fifth Element 
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