It’s time to get the Katahdin away from the dock–it’s been about 5 years since we have taken her out for a cruise.  Last summer we buffed her out and polished up the engine so let’s go!  There are three large bays on the mainland across Frederick Sound:  Farragut Bay, Thomas Bay (featuring the Baird Glacier and Swan Lake) and Le Conte Bay and Glacier.  We visited Le Conte last year so this time we pick Thomas Bay….   Juneau is up to the left and the Stikine River North Arm is on the right here.  The city of Kake is bottom left with Duncan Canal below Kupreanof/Petersburg.

Look at this–with Devils Thumb peaking out under the clouds.  Let’s go!

First we park in front of the house and load up with all kinds of goodies.  Note the new paint–four coats last summer on the house and this year, I splurged and put her in the Photoshop for a week.

It’s a crowded harbor this time of year with lots of current and high tides.  All kinds of fish are moving through and fishermen are anxious to get them.  We are too.

First order of business is to stop at the corner store for some LeConte ice….

Then we pull into Thomas Bay and drop the hook.   Ahhhhh!….this is the life!

Then we dip into the fridge for a nice piece of fresh fish.  Here George is getting ready to convince this halibut that it ought to join us for dinner.

Next morn, we drive around a bit and enter Scenery Cove–aptly named, I might add.  Devils Thumb is right around the corner to the right.

We have a few electrical snafus but most everything runs just fine.  It’s nice to have George on board;  he’s the chief engineer for the Fairweather and knows his stuff.

No, not this one.  This is an old passenger freighter moored in Thomas Bay and part of one man’s ‘waterworld.’

This is George’s boat.  One of two fast ferries serving Petersburg in the summer once a week.  It’s only four hours from Juneau on this one.

What a weekend.  We pick up four fish on the way home and coast right into our slip without so much as a bump.   Here is a nice photo of a typical Alaskan outhouse–“where a straight flush beats a full house.”   Stay tuned….