July 6

Every day we marvel at the immensity of Alaska yet we have touched just a speck of it. We recognize our vulnerability in this harsh, glorious, and vast frontier with renewed daily respect.   

11:57pm, 1:30am, 2:10am, 3:05am.  Enough already.  I arise leaving Tim to sleep a bit longer, make  four huge banana pancakes, remove the dew covers, brew the coffee, and by 3:40 deliver a cup to Tim.  “I'm wondering if we should leave soon, the sky is red in the east and the winds are picking up." (Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.)  We pulled up anchor and departed twenty minutes later, pancakes eaten as we leave Port Malmsbury Bay to head south into this day.  The eastern sky glows with red, orange and lavender. Before we have exited the bay, whales blow hello and curious sea otters peek at us from their posterior kelp floats.

We sailed most of the morning south along Kuiu Island around Cape Decision and across Sumner Strait.  Perfect winds, perfect angles.  Whales breach, fish jump and eagles snatch herring as we glide motor-less and solitary throughout the morning. Our day ends in a funny little cove, “No Name” in Nossuk Bay in the northeast part of Tanowek Bay.  IWGN*, Prince of Wales Island is off to the east.  Tim re-names, “No Name”, Yodel Cove.  Yes, he yodeled and it echoed and echoed and echoed.  

We take naps, showers, I make dinner and we decide to stay the night.  Tomorrow we will marina in Craig.  Tim calls Connor on our sat phone to check in.  Might as well use it, we have it!  

*Important White Guy Name