As I have mentioned before, in Alaska, after fine weather, one often has to pay a penance. September weather patterns have arrived early, deep weather depressions tracking across the Pacific like ducks in a row; every 3-4 days another one comes into the Gulf of Alaska and brings with it all that a seaman loathes, wind, rain and rough seas.
The weather cometh, (or in our case, arriveth)
😯
After our lovely beginning to the week, the weather became changeable in Sitka. The clouds were scudding across the sky, the rain began and, the end of our stay was spent in permanent drizzle.
Sitka and fresh snow on the mountains
The day started reasonably nice
…however by the end of the day, the weather set in.
While we were passing some of the small islands, I took some photos of some of the houses and Sports-fishing lodges.
I also mentioned some of the fishing methods here in Alaska and, while at anchor, the most common came past us.
A purse-seiner, towing its seine skiff
A long-liner, it tows up to 4, individual, baited lines
A fish-packer. To save the fishermen leaving the fishing grounds, they sell their fish to the packer, who then takes it to the cannery. A packer can also supply fuel and groceries to the fishing fleet.
As soon as we departed the relative shelter of the anchorage, we experienced the first of the forecast gale, south-westerly winds up to 40 kts, increasing seas and swell and driving rain; in a word ‘miserable’. The wind caused us to ‘list’, so heeling water tanks are adjusted to compensate. Out into the Pacific, paralleling the west side of Baranof island and making for Cape Decision, a ‘hole in the wall’ which takes us into the Sumner Strait and thence through Snow Passage, a narrow Pass leading into the Clarence Straits. Whilst the seas subsided in these ‘inland’ waters, the wind still howled, 40-50 kts, a September gale in August, not a portent of weather to come I hope.
Route through Snow Passage
Down the Tongass Narrows, still 40 kts and by now I am in discussion with the pilot about our ‘abort’ point, where I decide to try docking and if uneasy, what actions I will take. Basically, in the Tongass Narrows there is little one can do, except continue past the dock and sail down the southern section of the Narrows to more ‘open water.
As it was, the wind subsided sufficiently to dock and with a knitting pattern of mooring lines we are hard alongside. The gales are forecast to continue all the way south, we are in for a ‘bumpy’ ride.
While we are alongside, the “Regatta” came up the southern narrows, heading for the anchorage, (I’m not envious), she had 2 tugs tied to her, such were the conditions.
Considering the weather we will be going into, I won’t have time to sit here and post to you, so expect a hiatus for a couple of days; perhaps, once we’ve reached Victoria, I might have time to write, bear with me.
