Get yer trackers loaded, folks! Dogbark is sailing north to Alaska again. It’s fun to watch their progress as they go. And, no, we’re not making another Northwest Passage attempt. At least not this summer. (If the girls have anything to say about it, not any summer.) But the girls are happy to cruise with friends in the “regular” part of Alaska, aka not the Arctic. 😉
The plan is to sail Dogbark north offshore because the usual route to Alaska–the Inside Passage through Canada–is closed to recreational vessels due to the coronavirus. The passage should take 6 to 8 days. Destination: the town of Whittier in Prince William Sound, southeast of Anchorage. Once there, we’ll cruise with friends aboard (Eli, Amy, and Solomon of SV Kookaburra) and buddy boat with our cruising friends on Debonair.
Top: Lizzy, Sol, Eli
Bottom: Marek, Savai, Graeme
The crew for this big jump north is Graeme and Savai, Eli and Solomon (who sailed with us to the Marquesas), Marek (captain of Sonic, the TP52 Graeme races on), and Lizzy (crew coordinator of Sonic and that friendly face you might recognize from Fisheries Supply).
Talia and I are hanging in Port Townsend with my folks. After so many months of quarantine and socially distant socializing, we’re thrilled to combine our bubble with my folks’.
It took a lot of work to get Dogbark ready to cruise again, especially as we’d neglected her all winter.
The new saildrive works great! One problem: forward is now reverse. Reverse is now forward. It makes driving a bit confusing. But I only have myself (and the wind) to blame for getting blown sideways and bending a couple stanchions on a brief visit to the fuel dock before Dogbark took off. Boating is ever a lesson in humility.
After waving Dogbark away at 4am Tuesday morning, I encountered another problem. The boat’s documents were in my computer bag. Oops. So my mom and I shuttled them to Port Angeles where Dogbark took the opportunity to top up with fuel.
So, with documents properly aboard, off Dogbark went to Neah Bay to wait for the wind to blow through. It was a rough ride through the Straits. Some of the crew fed the fish. Speaking of fish, yesterday, waiting for weather, Graeme says they caught 2 lingcod, 1 rockfish, and 7 salmon! They had fish tacos, ceviche, and salmon n’ potatoes. Graeme said they basically fished and ate fish all day long.
This morning they bashed out into the Pacific. So now all of us left at home get to follow the tracker and watch them move slowly north. Tali and I will fly up and join Dogbark next week and spend the month of July cruising isolated areas of Alaska. We’re thinking of leaving Dogbark in Sitka over the winter so we can cruise SE Alaska next summer.
Quite an undertaking. Smooth sailing. Stay safe.
Thanks, Judy! I have to admit I’m happy not to be aboard this passage. Upwind. Ugh.
Have a fun trip!
Dogbark is currently off the west coast of Vancouver Island and ran into some cell service. Graeme provided this quote of the day from Lizzy: “Not a good look. A Fisheries employee puking into a West Marine bucket that says ‘We make boating fun!'”
That’s my daughter, Lizzy, at her best! It shall I say “worst”?! Hope you get your sea legs, soon, Lizzy!! Definitely living vicariously through you this week and next!!
When I saw Lizzy in Port Angeles to do the document handoff, she was still in high spirits. She’s a trooper. Now that they’re going downwind, I bet she’s having the time of her life. I hear she makes a mean sourdough. Savai was so excited about that!
Great update Janna. So nice to see pics of your parents! Safe travels!
Thanks, Julie! Fun to have you following along!
Great to see Dogbark underway again! We are beginning to wonder, though, if waiting for weather windows is just a convenient ruse to create additional time windows for fishing.
Jay, you know us too well! Looking forward to seeing PresMo in PT!
I hope the sailing is smoother than that timelapse.
Have a great summer. You must be stoked the US bought Alaska now, huh?
Steve, that’s part of our fully interactive blog experience. If that timelapse made you feel like puking, just think how they feel beating into it.
Bon voyage, mes amis!
(the fishing gets better the farther north you go, ya’know!)
Wow! What fun to have an adventure and freedom to move during this time. Best wishes for smooth sailing to the crew! So lovely to think that the Port Angeles pod gets to be together too. xoxoxo
The east coast contingent will be following along. Keep those entertaining posts coming!
Saw Dogbark crew was busy beavering the day before you left so finished up on M/V Morning Light and walked over to wish you Bon Voyage. Nobody home! Next day home gone!
When your news came, I saw you were about to round Brooks Peninsula in crazy seas. I recollected, felt queasy, and went straight to bed. Relieved to see you back in the USA headed toward Port Alexander. Thanks for letting us be virtual hangers on for your real Alaska adventure!