July 23, 2012  Mite Cove to Elfin Cove

    We got an early start today. Today I was captain and Pete had me go up on deck to study the clouds and water. There was a cloud cover that covered the tops of the surrounding mountains that didn’t seem to be moving and the water was glassy. Looking toward the NW, up Lisianski Inlet I could see the opening to Cross Sound and the clouds weren’t moving up there either. Clear that we would be motoring today.
    I haven’t talked about Privateer’s anchor. The rode is 210 feet of chain--the weight makes a much more secure anchorage. He attaches a snubber at the top--a line that ties around a shorter length of the chain and secures to a sampson post to allow some give and absorb the strain.There is a manual high speed windlass.
     As Kelsey brought up the anchor, she found a 19 leg salmony-pink sunflower starfish attached to the chain, which fell off as the chain cleared the water. I was at the helm ready to move the boat if needed--once the anchor cleared the bottom, had to reverse in short throttle bursts to keep from drifting to the shore.
     Once under way we stayed mid channel as we pointed to Cross Sound. As we passed the red light off our port side at the opening to Cross Sound, we saw an inflatable skiff on the shore with a Coast Guard crew doing maintenance on the light and as we swung well clear of of Green Can “1” marking the rocky shore off our starboard side, we saw the Coast Guard buoy tender Maple anchored off our starboard side. This ship goes around and tends all the buoys and other navigational aids in the area.
     Cross Sound had very gentle one foot ocean swells and wind was variable 10 knots and we could see the Cape Spencer light house in the distance and many fishing boats at the West end of Cross Sound where it enters the ocean. This opening marks the North end of the inside passage that begins (at its South end) in Olympia, Washington.
     If the cloud cover had been at a higher altitude we would have been able to see Cape Fairweather and Brady Glacier in Taylor Bay to our North. The calmness belied the fact the Cross Sound is dicey waters with strong currents (ebb currents are stronger here than the flood).
   We kept well clear of the Althrop Peninsula, then pointed  toward Three Hill Islands and once we cleared the shallow rocks and reef off the peninsula, we changed direction and pointed between the two day markers on two small islands off Pt Lucan. We started to see the water turn a greenish tint, indicative of glacial river silt.
     Luckily for us we had to decided to go around the South side of Three Hill Islands because Pete suddenly spied a whole flock of puffins about 25 feet off our port side. Astonishingly, there were two kind of puffins in one flock, tufted and horned. Pete said he had only seen puffins once before this far South--Wow!
    Once we cleared Pt. Lucan to starboard, Pete spied harbor porpoises off our port side. Then as if that wasn’t special enough, as we entered Port Althrop we spotted a solo minke whale coming up to breath (we never saw a blow plume).  We put Privateer into neutral and Pete took over the helm so Kelsey and I could go to the bow and watch for the whale to come to the surface again. We were excited  to see the minke come to the surface four more times, once, very close off our port bow. They aren’t spotted very often so we were very lucky.
    Port Althrop bay was full of wildlife--we saw lots of moon jellys, a few sea otters floating by on their backs and heard sea lions on Altrop Rock and a seal watched us go by.
    Suddenly  I started feeling extremely exhausted--initially I thought that perhaps I had let myself get dehydrated again but later in the evening it became obvious that I was sick with a flu bug. We were fairly close to Elfin Cove by that point and Pete took over the helm for me and I huddled miserably in the cock pit.
     Pete and Kelsey had never been to Elfin Cove and as Pete steered  us into the outer harbor (narrow), he decided to moor there (free moorage at this dock). I went below and took a nap while Kelsey and Pete explored Elfin Cove. After sleeping a while, felt better and I headed off the boat to go explore and take a shower at the laundromat. One buys a token at the fairly well stocked grocery (for this size of community).
     This cove has a long intensive board walk as well--though, unlike Pelican it twists and turns along the steep hillside. After walking down a path through a short, moss covered woods (and nibbling on the wild blueberries along the path), I came to the grocery store and bought my shower token. A juvenile bald eagle flew above the cove, calling out to Mom and Dad. A nice shower made me feel human again and after that I continued along the boardwalk into the inner cove.  Very quaint cottages lined the boardwalk.
    Now I’m sitting on my berth, Pete has the wood stove going (delicious warmth) and Kelsey is making us pineapple, olive, pepperoni, red pepper and onion pizza. I HATE to cook so it is such a treat to have someone cook for me and the fact she is such an awesome cook makes it even better.
    After dinner we will look at the tides and currents and plan our day tomorrow to the Inian Islands---only about three miles away.

Kelsey and Talia heading North in Lisianski Inlet.  pic by Pete

mouth of Lisianski Inlet

sea stacks in mouth of Lisianski Inlet

Coast Guard buoy tender Maple

puffins

horned and tufted puffin in one flock

entrance to Elfin Cove  pic by Kelsey

Elfin Cove by Kelsey

Pete on Elfin boardwalk   pic by Kelsey

Kelsey on Elfin boardwalk  pic by Pete

Elfin Cove   pic by Kelsey

Pete   pic by Kelsey

juvenile bald eagle   pic by Kelsey

Pete and another awesome salad.  pic by Kelsey