Ketchikan to La Conner 2015: A delivery home

 Ketchikan to Prince Rupert    85-miles

Bar Harbor Marina in Ketchikan - A calm day for rounding Dixon Entrance

Today is our first day on the move as we head out of Ketchikan towards La Conner.

4:30AM  It is light out early up here!  I woke up twenty minutes before my alarm clock rang.  Wind and weather conditions are calm.  Should be a good day for crossing Dixon Entrance.  Our days destination is Prince Rupert, British Columbia.  This is one of the two open water legs where the route is exposed to the Pacific Ocean.  Today's conditions look very favorable.

4:50AM  Checked the engine and systems, fired up the Ford Lehman 135hp engine.

5:10AM  We have La Rose untied and unplugged.  We leave the slip at Bar Harbor Marina.

5:20AM  Engine quits.  Damn!  A quick check showed high vacuum on the Racor fuel filter, we switched the lever on the twin Racor filters and she fired right back up.  I changed out the old filter and put in a fresh 10-micron; she ran great for the balance of the day.  Dual Racors are great!

Moxie - American Tug 485-04 at Dixon Entrance

Brown Eyes - American Tug 485-03 at Dixon Entrance

12:05PM  Spoke with the American Tug 485 hull #3 as Brown Eyes was rounding Dixon heading north towards Ketchikan today.  We were about 1-mile further offshore.  Saw American Tug 485 hull #4 Moxie and also Lily, the American Tug 365 hull #12 which I have for sale.

Lily - American Tug 365-12 at Dixon Entrance

1:12PM  We passed over the US & Canadian Border.  We actually did this a couple of times as we "tacked" in the 2-3 foot waves, which was more comfortable than taking the waves directly on the beam.  Normally I would steady the boat with its sails, but this is a delivery and not a cruise.

3:30PM  Entered Venn Passage, the back door into Prince Rupert

5:15PM  Tied up at the Prince Rupert Rowing and Yacht Club.  Friendly Yacht Club.

A good day on the water, 85 miles and rounded one of the obstacles along this path.  Tomorrow we enter the Fjords and a 50-mile day towards Lowe Inlet, near the Evening Point Convergence.

Be sure to download one of my Inside Passage Distance Tables.  A helpful route planning and timing guide for optimizing the currents.  Get one here.

Thanks for following along!   Steve