Today‘s (Thursday’s) weather forecast was gale force winds and three meters waves, so no point in trying to get past some of the more exposed sections of coastline where there is no shelter from the Pacific Ocean.
Instead we planned a short paddle to a shelter 10 km further north, which will make a nice staring point for crossing the exposed sections on Friday
We planned to get up early, but we were beaten by the speedboats of the sportsfisheries out of Sitka. The first sped past before 0500.
Weather was still good -no rain. And after a leisurely outdoor breakfast we were off at 0830
The paddle was about two hours, short and sweet. Almost no wind nor waves, at times the water surface was like a mirror.
We paddled out at low tide and got a view of the littoral zone on the cliffs as we passed. XL barnacles and starfish were clinging on.
As we approached the shelter we were greeted by flock at least half a dozen curious sea lions, following the boat, but diving with a splash if we turned our heads
The shelter was exactly the same as yesterday. A much better location on a rock at the inlet of a small bay, But withy firewood! Last night we did not need it, today as the atmospheric river came down on the roof it was another matter. But we have warm clothes.
We are a tad bit apprehensive about tomorrow. The wind will come down to well within manageable, but two meters swell will remain, part of the coastline is without proper shelter but littered with reefs that creates intermittent breakers, or boomers as they are called here.
Parts of Finnmark have the same issue, and Karianne and Erling have vivid memories and deep respect for those.
If we don’t consider it safe we can turn and opt for the “Inside passage” in sheltered waters.
This is where the name “Inside Passage” comes from. Because part of the coast is too rough for small vessels to navigate on the outside, loads of small vessels navigated the inside passage during the Klondike gold rusk, when Skagway (close to Haines) was the main point of disembarking.
No paddlers at that point as far as we understand..
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