Sailing SE Alaska

July 14, 2012   Kalinin Bay, thru Piehle Pass to Ford Arm

     We woke up early, 7:30. Dreams full of anxiety (almost driving off a collapsed bridge over a deep canyon).I think the anxiety is because I will be sailing out into the open ocean for the first time.
     In Kalinin Bay we had a quick breakfast and listened to the updated weather report on the VHF radio--ocean swell forecast still at 5 feet, so we were good to go. Started getting Privateer ready for the open ocean--everything below tucked in, fastened down all the port lights, brought Trinka (the rowboat) aboard and strapped her to the bow, fastened the crab pot to the lifelines, attached jack lines, raised the main and put in a single reef and stored the wood burning stove chimney below.
     Got underway by 11:00. Motored out of Kalinin Bay and once out into Salisbury Sound, we're finally able to raise the three sails (yankee, stays’l, main) and turn off the motor--Yeehaw! Today we had a NW wind that started at about 15 knots and eventually built to about 25.
     We cleared Salisbury Sound after a few tacks which brought us into the open ocean, the Gulf of Alaska. It’s important to stay way clear of Khaz Peninsula’s very rocky and shallow coastline. On our first starboard tack (west) we went out about five miles--ocean swells and waves combined were about 4-6 feet and Privateer clipped along at 6-8 knots (the notion that full keel is slower is clearly wrong) I was amazed that the only time we had to touch the tiller was when we tacked. Peter had the sails balanced so perfectly that Privateer stayed on a close haul all by herself. I was at the helm as we tacked and I was surprised at how hard I had to push to move the tiller.
      During that first starboard tack out into the ocean, when we were about 4 miles out, looking back toward land, we saw numerous humpback blow plumes rise and hover into the sky. We also could see the top of Mt. Fairweather, a 15,300 foot high mountain to the North.
     After about five hours and four tacks on the ocean, we cleared Khaz Peninsula and very carefully started motor sailing into and through Piehlie Passage, a rock strewn passage where some parts have a very narrow area that is safe to navigate (at one point we were in only 18 ft of water). Pete carefully followed a previous route he had made, recorded on his GPS, while I read out depth soundings and Kelsey stood on the bowsprit watching for rocks. Treacherous Piehle Passage had some of the most amazing rock formations I’ve seen yet in Alaska. (Piehle Pass is named after a rumrunner named Piehle who would escape into the pass as evening fell, to outrun the Feds)
     Once through the passage we shut off our engine. We could see the mouth of Slocum Arm on our starboard side (South) but we continued straight and sailed up Ford Arm. As we traveled up the 3 1/2 mile inlet, two eagles watched us from their perch in some tall trees and we saw a flock of Kittiwakes hanging out on a rock. Pete spotted a grizzly on a grassy flat (that man has amazing eyesight!). As we reached the head we went slightly North and anchored in small Elf cove.
     I didn’t enjoy going out into the ocean as much as I thought I would. It was discomforting to see the land get further away. Although Privateer sailed beautifully through the swells, the motion was unsettling (though I was relieved I had no sea sickness) After about an hour at sea, I started to feel very fatigued and wanted badly to get back closer to land, but when after about three hours Kelsey fed us salami,cheese and crackers,I started to feel less fatigued and seemed to be getting more accustomed to the motion of the sea.
     Now it is late, the wood stove is going and we are warm and cozy in the belly of Privateer. What a day!