Petersburg

Sunday morning in Petersburg. It is high overcast and calm, around 50. We’re moored in the North Harbor with a view of Kupreanof across the Narrows to one side and where my shop used to be on Main Street to the other.

We got a late start leaving Juneau. I had planned to go to Taku Harbor but it would have violated one of my primary safety rules, i.e., no after-dark anchoring. Instead we headed to Admiralty Cove. It was less than 14 miles but it got us out of Auke Bay. Auke Bay is the Juneau terminus for the State ferry system and whenever one comes in or out, the wake they produce rolls through the Statter Harbor unimpeded, causing the boats to slam against the floats. Not a relaxing situation.

It was a good call. The afternoon was beautiful. We watched the humpback whales feed in Stephens Passage all the way down to Admiralty Cove. After anchoring, I fired up the barbeque, cooked a buffalo burger and ate in the sun on the foredeck. After dinner I launched the skiff, and Jazz and I explored the cove before going ashore for Jazz’s business. The evening was magical with the silvery moon path shimmering across the water.

The morning dawned rainy and foggy and stayed that way almost all the way to Taku Harbor. In 2000, when I brought the boat north, Karen and I anchored in Taku Harbor and spent a very pleasant evening and morning. I was prepared to do the same but was surprised to find a new float. So instead we spent the night tied along side.

Thursday was another dry day, rare for Southeast in October. As we made the turn into Stephens Passage plumes from the whales could be seen all along the west side. They accompanied us all the way to our anchorage in Gambier Bay. Hundreds of them in pods from two to eight, circling, blowing, then diving. The slow arch and then the flukes in the air prior to diving lent a majesty that dominated the day. The feeling of loss as we left them to maneuver to our anchorage was palpable.

That night I plotted distances to our potential destinations for the next day, the choices being Baranof Warm Springs across Chatham Strait and Petersburg across Frederick Sound. The distances are roughly equal, approximately 55 miles, making for a long travel day. Petersburg won, probably for its ability to provide two-way conversation as Baranof Warm Springs is pretty lonely this time of year.

The whales were still feeding in lower Stephens Passage when we left Gambier Bay. As we came abeam The Five Fingers, they were breaching and slapping their fins. It was quite a show. Unfortunately the distance exceeded the capabilities of my little camera.

So here we are in Petersburg. I have spoken with several people I knew from when we lived here. I enjoyed reminiscing with Heidi Lee and Ron Loesch gave me a tour of his printing plant. KFSK was wrapping up their pledge week and Heidi talked me into visiting. Yesterday morning I went in and was put on the air with Matt Lichtenstein and Joe Viechnicki, two names and voices I was familiar with from APRN and especially Alaska News Nightly. We chatted about KFSK’s early history and my small part in it back in the late 70’s. In the afternoon I watched the 14^th running of the Humpy 500 on PFI hill. This is a soap-box-derby-like affair with teams of children competing in costumes and interesting rolling contraptions. It is a typical Petersburg celebration where a portion of Main Street is blocked off and several hundred show up rain or shine to cheer the participants on. I didn’t stay for the final heats but it looked to me like the Black Cod Pearl team replete in their pirate getups and rolling pirate ship was the team to beat.

Apologies to Lou for the lack of whale pics. For the most part they were too far away for my meager photography equipment and when they were closer I attempted to capture their splendor using the video function on my little Sony digital completely forgetting to take any stills. I’m not looking forward to the verbal lashing she’s going to give me. Oh well. The first pic is of the intrepid crew of Blue Note standing in front of the Forest Service cabin in Taku Harbor. The second one is of a humpback taken on the way to Admiralty Cove.

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