Post by Paul
From Appleton Cove we decided to break up our passage through various straits and passes back to Sitka, feeling like we needed to be cautious in navigating these natural wonders. When the navigational charts warns of rips, eddies and large currents you need to pay attention and act with respect. The straits we would take are long.
Our first passage, back to Peril Strait has sections along it with names like Deadman’ reach. Our strategy again was to manage the currents by starting at the north end of the strait with an opposing current and ending with a current that was with us or at slack (the time when the currents change direction and the current flow stops).
From Appleton cove we hoped to reach Fish bay and anchor for the night and wait for a favourable current for the last section of Kakul Narrows where the current runs up to 7 knots. Not a place to get your timing or current wrong! Once again we had fishing boats to avoid. One species season is at an end and many fishing boats are moving to other ports and harbors. It was busy! We took a conservative approach, staying mid-channel. As much as we were tempted, we didn’t follow the fishing boats’ short cuts. We soon discovered that Tomten was making more speed than we thought possible which put us ahead of schedule as we passed along Deadman’s Reach and in to the north end of Peril Strait proper. There are many turns, rocks, shoals and channels to navigate. Soon we were into eddies and current that required us to make constant adjustment on the helm. Tomten was being turned and pushed by the water towards the shallows. There was a tub boat and large barge a few miles behind us. Surely the tug and tow were not going down the strait. Thats mad!
Sure enough we heard on the VHF the tug announce it was coming down the strait. Great! Now we have to deal with fishing boats, eddies, rips, current, rocks, narrow channels and shoals and a tug and tow chasing us! Tomten was evidently enjoying the ride as she was making such good progress. We began to see the fishing boats that had overtaken us in open water holding their position as we navigated toward Sergius and Kakul Narrows. Now the tug and tow were in the strait also, still broadcasting its intention to proceed through. We went through Sergius Narrows with a 3 knot current against us. Narrows is a good term; it was very narrow! Tomten slowed to just under 3 knots and we had absolutely no trouble with our focus at this point.
We were doing so well that we decided to forego our anchorage in Fish Bay and move through Kakul Narrows too. We made it! However there was a lot of vessel movement now as we were meeting the vessel traffic heading through the strait north, trying to catch the last of the current and get through the tricky narrows. Meanwhile the tug and tow was punching through the narrows. The tugboat captain called us on the VHF and kindly asked us which side we would like him to pass on as he bore down on us at full speed. This probably srved two purposes as we are sure he wanted to make sure we allowed him plenty of room and had seen him. He had shortened his towline considerably by now. We couldn’t believe such a large vessel could pass through such a narrow twisting channel. We have since been told the ferry comes the same way.
It all worked out and we made it into Salisbury Sound (a name from Cpt. Vancover no doubt.) At this point we felt emboldened. A dangerous mindset to be in! We decided to attempt one more strait. We had been through this strait once before so knew a little of what to expect. This was Neva Strait. Again we had a lot of traffic with dozens of fishing boats on the move. Still, the sun was shinning and we were feeling lucky and ready for another strait with a counter current. We made it without any drama, enjoying the narrow straits and how incredibly close you can get to the forested shoreline. That night’s anchorage, Krestof Sound Inlet, was a perfect bay all to ourselves. Incredibly quiet. We had time for more halibut and repairs. Still, sailing is maintenance in exotic places usually without delicious halibut!
Our next day was a short passage through Olga Strait to Sitka. It was a very, very busy passage. This time we had to avoid boats with their fishing gear out. The rules of navigation require pleasure craft to give way to fishing vessels. There is a heirsrchy of who gives way and who “stands on” or maintains their current heading and speed.
Olga strait is quite technical with lots of hazards but there are various buoys and aids to navigation to help. There is lots to see south of the strait with islands and fishing boats stretching their nets and their skiffs encircling them. We had to take evasive maneuvers to avoid one fishing boat whose skipper seeming to assume we knew exactly what they were going to do and where they were headed. It was interesting to see several boats fish one area, interspersed with seaplanes and fast fishing boats. Getting alongside in the harbor at Sitka was a happy moment. We were glad to be back in Sitka and ready to go home.
Sailing Tomten 