John and his wife Ivy sailed across the Pacific from Hawaii and are wintering in Sitka. We were lucky to have made their acquaintance this fall when they volunteered to do boat watch on the BOB. Considering the last few nearly snow-free winters, we hadn't expected to have much work for John, but we suspect they had a little fun in the snow. John sent this photo of our new frosty mascot after one of the big snowfalls. Many, many thanks to him for doing the shovel work.
Meanwhile - the crew jumped ship and traded Baranof Island's scenic vistas for Sicily and Malta for some of this winter. Still never far from saltwater, but much closer to olive trees and Roman ruins. Our trip has taken us across Italy and we're now enjoying some snow in the Alps.
The boats of the Mediterranean were thoroughly inspected for 'for sale' signs by Captain Blain.
Both of us are advancing our SCUBA certifications, and one of the reasons we chose the island of Malta (besides the fact that Game of Thrones was shot there) was for drysuit dive training. They are really challenging to figure out how to adjust your bouyancy underwater, but boy what great Halloween potential!
As much as we enjoyed the Med, we couldn't help but think how lucky we are to call SE Alaska home, and we are really looking forward to sailing the fjords and straits and exploring our wilderness home. Nowhere else has the rich waters and incredible wild abundance, the teaming wildlife and unaltered natural beauty of coastal Alaska. If you have experienced it with us, you understand. Sitka and the rest of the Tongass Rainforest is irreplaceable. If you haven't seen it yet, consider a trip this year with us.
The 2020 season is now booked from June - August! We are thrilled to have a packed calendar, and can't wait to sail with friends both new and old. A few remain open in May, and we have September.
Here's what is still available as of February:
--- May 8-14: Sitka to Petersburg and May 18-24 Petersburg to Sitka. These trips let us enjoy our Little Norway of Petersburg and the world-class scenery of Baranof, Admiralty, and Kupreanof Islands. We guarantee good nordic fun and lots of great sailing. Hot springs and wilderness hiking paradise.
--- May 27-June 2: Sitka to Juneau. Sail legendary Peril Strait or the adventurous outer coast Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness. Marvel at the abundant wildife along this popular route. King salmon fishing with great hiking, photography, and kayaking options.
--- We also have trips in September with coho salmon fishing, bear and whale watching highlights. Contact us today if these sound as good to you as they do to us!
If you are tempted by a trip in 2021, best get a hold of us soon. We are offering three trips in Glacier Bay and several in Endicott Arm, and have posted the calendar.
