Thanks to all who advised me about equipment, gas stops, charts and who
knows what all else. I learned a few things:
1. Gas/diesel is almost always available. First Nation folks in British
Columbia were very helpful, professional and the fuel was always good.
(Can't say the same for what we bought on the way up in Ketchikan,
however.) Everyone takes credit cards.
2. Food and other supplies were always available at the gas stops except
Hartley Bay, where they have three kinds of soda and four kinds of candy
bars. Don't bring lots of extra food as I did. Kake is a great stop,
with a fabulous store. Close the hatches and doors at these places when
you go ashore; the crows and ravens will come right in to your cabin and
help themselves.
3. Anchoring can be a challenge. We love one of those fancy and
expensive SPADEs, which we first tried to set by powering back on it
right after we got it wet, just like I do on Lake Superior. An old salt
told us it has to sit for a while, then "nudge" it in. That worked a lot
better in the hard clay/mud with rocks and shells. We finally got the
best results by throwing it in and leaving it to its own devices. We
always used the GPS anchor alarm, though.
4. Local knowledge was more reliable than weather reports for making big
crossings. We were about to go from Kake to Petersburg on day based upon
a pretty good forecast. The old Native Harbormaster advised us to sit
tight for a minute while he roared out to Frederick Sound in his 14'
fishing boat to check it. He came back and said he wouldn't go out there
today in that little boat, referring to my 26' cruiser. We wondered what
he could possibly know about weather conditions out there, tied the boat
up a little tighter and did breakfast, the store and more fishing
(fabulous fishing for king salmon). The next day we crossed to
Petersburg and heard the horror stories from those who believed that
forecast.
5. Lots of logs, especially in B.C. Make sure you have someone dedicated
to watching for logs when you're up on plane, especially in a light
chop. Go slow in the "tide lines" that appear to collect junk where the
currents meet.
6. Watch out for gill nets that have big orange floats on the ends and
are supported by little white floats. It's hard to see the floats in a
chop and the fishermen don't usually monitor channel 16. Some of them
are real jerks.
7. Verizon cell phones worked only around Prince Rupert and a little
south of Ketchikan. Not at all in major cities in Alaska. Others said
similar things about their plans. Don't count on them.
8. The people in Alaska and B.C. were unbelievably helpful and friendly
to us, always.
9. Next time I will trailer to Prince Rupert instead of Port Hardy.
10. Shearwater resort is a great place to stop and look at all the boats
who tried to do what everyone tells you not to do. Lots of boats that
were salvaged due to sinking and in various stages of major repair.
11. It's bigger than it looks. Allow lots more time than you think.
12. Don't miss the fish and bears at Anan Creek. WOW.
13. There are very few people out there doing this. That has its good
and bad points.

If anyone has questions, email me; I owe it to the group!

Jeff

Sounds like you had a great trip. Thanks for adding to the info base.

Paul
"Messing In Boats" wrote in message
...
Thanks to all who advised me about equipment, gas stops, charts and who
knows what all else. I learned a few things:
1. Gas/diesel is almost always available. First Nation folks in British
Columbia were very helpful, professional and the fuel was always good.
(Can't say the same for what we bought on the way up in Ketchikan,
however.) Everyone takes credit cards.
2. Food and other supplies were always available at the gas stops except
Hartley Bay, where they have three kinds of soda and four kinds of candy
bars. Don't bring lots of extra food as I did. Kake is a great stop,
with a fabulous store. Close the hatches and doors at these places when
you go ashore; the crows and ravens will come right in to your cabin and
help themselves.
3. Anchoring can be a challenge. We love one of those fancy and
expensive SPADEs, which we first tried to set by powering back on it
right after we got it wet, just like I do on Lake Superior. An old salt
told us it has to sit for a while, then "nudge" it in. That worked a lot
better in the hard clay/mud with rocks and shells. We finally got the
best results by throwing it in and leaving it to its own devices. We
always used the GPS anchor alarm, though.
4. Local knowledge was more reliable than weather reports for making big
crossings. We were about to go from Kake to Petersburg on day based upon
a pretty good forecast. The old Native Harbormaster advised us to sit
tight for a minute while he roared out to Frederick Sound in his 14'
fishing boat to check it. He came back and said he wouldn't go out there
today in that little boat, referring to my 26' cruiser. We wondered what
he could possibly know about weather conditions out there, tied the boat
up a little tighter and did breakfast, the store and more fishing
(fabulous fishing for king salmon). The next day we crossed to
Petersburg and heard the horror stories from those who believed that
forecast.
5. Lots of logs, especially in B.C. Make sure you have someone dedicated
to watching for logs when you're up on plane, especially in a light
chop. Go slow in the "tide lines" that appear to collect junk where the
currents meet.
6. Watch out for gill nets that have big orange floats on the ends and
are supported by little white floats. It's hard to see the floats in a
chop and the fishermen don't usually monitor channel 16. Some of them
are real jerks.
7. Verizon cell phones worked only around Prince Rupert and a little
south of Ketchikan. Not at all in major cities in Alaska. Others said
similar things about their plans. Don't count on them.
8. The people in Alaska and B.C. were unbelievably helpful and friendly
to us, always.
9. Next time I will trailer to Prince Rupert instead of Port Hardy.
10. Shearwater resort is a great place to stop and look at all the boats
who tried to do what everyone tells you not to do. Lots of boats that
were salvaged due to sinking and in various stages of major repair.
11. It's bigger than it looks. Allow lots more time than you think.
12. Don't miss the fish and bears at Anan Creek. WOW.
13. There are very few people out there doing this. That has its good
and bad points.

If anyone has questions, email me; I owe it to the group!

Jeff