Day 24 May 22: We left our slip in Ketchikan and stopped to get fuel (203 gal.). The cost ended up at $4.27/gallon. We had a great day with flat water and no wind. It is hard to imagine the predicted wind and sea state when you’re gliding across glass calm water. Wildlife! We saw a few pods of Dall porpoises today and few swam with the boat for about a mile.  Hopefully, this is the start of a trend. We made our way up Ernest Sound to Santa Anna Inlet and anchored up for the evening. We had two other boats join us in the inlet for a calm evening.

Day 25 May 23: We had a short 35-mile cruise to Wrangell. We have been seeing several fishing boats and buoys in the water. Listening on the radio we found out they are shrimping; they connect several pots to a long line and have a buoy at each end of the line. About halfway to Wrangell, I saw a whale blow and then dive off in the distance. Carolyn thought I was lying because he didn’t come back up. A while after we passed the area and Carolyn saw the same whale out the back. Our first sighting in Alaska this year and I was vindicated. Once in the harbor there were wind gusts that were preventing us and another boat from getting to the dock and tying up. The third time was the charm, the gusts died down enough to get tied up. I thought we came here to avoid the wind.

Day 26; May 24: We walked around town picked up a few things from the hardware store and the grocery store and headed back to the boat. Several of the shops were closed probably since it was Saturday and others had signs that they were closing early for a person’s services.

Day 26; May 25: We left Wrangell later than normal to time our passage through Wrangell Narrows. We wanted to hit the center of the narrows at high tide. That way we get a push from the current on both side of the narrows. As we left Wrangell there were 3 medium to small cruise ships getting ready to descend on this tiny town. We got in and went for a walk around town not too many places were open but the hardware store was. There was only a lite rain or mist.

Day 27; May 26: Did a few things to diagnose the electrical issues we have been having but didn’t come to any conclusions. Pretty slow day.

Day28; May 27: Got up, took the alternator out and hauled it down to NAPA about 0.75 miles from the harbor. They weren’t able to test it because they couldn’t cross reference it to a NAPA alternator. Stopped at another place and they couldn’t help. Happy Tim heads back to the boat. I do have a spare but it isn’t configured the same and had second thoughts about it. Well, it turns out I didn’t have all the bolts needed to install it so I put the other one back in.  The weather has been wet, wet, wet. Monday 1”, Tuesday 2”, Wednesday 2”, and Thursday is supposed to be 0.72” with Friday being higher. Have I said how much I enjoy atmospheric rivers?

Day29; May 28: I decided to get the hardware I need for the spare alternator and get it swapped. Got out the heavy rain gear to head to the hardware store for some bolts. My arms are now a half inch long carrying alternators around town. All swapped out by mid afternoon and seems to be working. A mechanic I am not. I heard someone say this is a rubber day not a Gore-Tex  day referring to heavy or light rain suits.

Totem Park getting work done

New totems being carved for Chief Shakes Tribal House