Homer to Seward

Arriving in Homer, we wheeled the kayak a few hundred metres to the campsite below.

It was an expensive campsite for a patch of gravel but handy for our departure the next day even at low tide. 

The bush and trees behind the beaches were often too thick and uneven to pitch a tent so many nights were spend on the level areas of beach above the high tide mark. 

One of the very few days we were blown off the water, the wind didn't drop so we ended up camping here. 

Using the extension antenna for the VHF handheld, this enabled us to receive the weather broadcasts in areas with poor reception. 

Lunch spot looking back at the Chugach Islands. The day had started overcast and cold but cleared slowly through the morning to hot sun and clear skies. 

Just some of the 2000x50x20metre high pile of driftwood at Isthmus Beach, Gore Point, Kenai Fjords. Enough timber to keep Hobart warm for a winter or two!

Baby sea otters cannot dive so they are left bobbing about on the surface while their Mothers are feeding. 

The black patch on the snow drift in the far left of the picture is a Black Bear. It was a hot day so what does a hot bear do? Roll around on a snow patch.

Our first 'iceberg', well bergy bit. 

Tough paddling conditions in Northwestern Fjord, Kenai Fjord National Park. 

Approaching the tidewater glaciers at the head of Northwestern Fjord.

This tidewater face is slightly left of centre in the picture above, the tourist boat gives you some idea of the scale.

Thick ice and hot sun. 

Leaving our campsite at the head of Northwestern Fjord. The surging waves from ice falling from the glaciers had washed all these bergy bits up on the beach blocking our exit. Lynne is pushing them out of the way.

In the more popular areas of the Kenai Fjord National Park the campsites were equipped with bear proof food lockers making food storage so much easier as we didn't have to fiddle about hanging it all up in a tree. 

'Mt Perry' Perry Is, Prince William Sound.

Sitka to Juneau

Packing a couple of weeks food the morning we left Sitka.

We had a great sail north from Sitka as the rain became heavier. Sheltering in bushes at lunchtime at the mouth of Neva Strait.

It was still pouring with rain at the end of day so this Forestry Service Emergency Shelter was a wonderful find. 

Someone had fixed a big tarp across the open wall making it very cosy inside. 

It didn't take long to get the billy on and make ourselves at home. Thanks to Louisa for crocheting the warmest hats in the world. 

We had the stove glowing red in no time at all. 

The next day along the Khaz Peninsular was the wildest of the whole trip, the swell and wind were up and provided a bit of excitement getting in behind Klokachef Island for some shelter.

In the shelter of Klokachef Island we met the first kayakers of the trip. The fella in the green jacket who came down to meet us when we landed was from Darwin. They were paddling from Sitka to Juneau too but having a day off due to the weather. 

Humpback whale a boat length ahead of us. 

Every day we saw dozens and dozens of sea otters. They were very wary though so it was hard to get close enough to get a decent picture. 

White Sulphur Hot Springs. Lynne in the tub rinsing all her kayaking gear.

Fantastic newly built cabin for the hot springs.

An outside hot pool too. 

Lisianski Strait. Repairing our mast steps in the hot sun. The resin was going off too quickly.



Wet mornings we got up and put our drysuits on straight away, dry, warm and cosy for breakfast.

Cross Sound the next day, it was hard to believe we had been baking in the sun the day before. 

A quick cuppa having stopped to put on another layer of thermals under my drysuit. It was a cold wet day, all day. 

Icy Strait campsite near Point Adolphus. We sat under the tarp through the evening as whales, dolphins, otters and seals paraded past only a few hundred meters offshore. 

The evening light looking across Icy Strait towards Glacier Bay.

Stellar Sea Lions hanging out in Saginaw Channel near Point Retreat on the day we reached Auke Bay, Juneau.

Another wet lunch stop, it wasn't all blue skies and sun.

Paddling into the Auke Bay ferry terminal for our ferry to Homer.

Kupreanof Is to Sitka

Wherever you land and are intending to camp it is a good idea to scout around for any sign of bears. If so, it is prudent to move on and find another campsite. This is the first bear poo we had found but we decided it was not that fresh and as there were no other indications of bear activity we decided it was safe to camp at this beach.

This was unanimously voted by all members of the trip to be the best campsite of the whole journey. Humpback whales cruised past during the evening.

Looking across Chatham Strait to the mountains of Baranof Island. 

Crossing Chatham Strait from Kuiu Island to Baranof Is. A 15km crossing with visibility of only about 1km. 

 Landfall on Baranof Island; it was murky and wet all day.

Lunch in the rain.

Tied up to the floating pontoon at Port Alexander. The strong southerly wind had put a stop to rounding Cape Ommaney on this day. 

Approaching Wooden Island and Cape Ommaney. It was just about this point when we could see a lot of white water ahead, the northerly tide hitting the southerly swell. We avoided some of the rough water by going around the outside of Wooden Island. 

The spectacular south west coast of Baranof Island, remote and rugged with very few places to land. It was fantastic after the best part of two weeks paddling the sheltered and cruisy Inside Passage waters. 

Looking for somewhere to stop for lunch on west coast of Baranof Is. 

Baranof Is west coast. 

Goddard Hot Springs south of Sitka, we were the only ones there. 

I just jumped in wearing all my kayak gear at first to rinse all the salt off. 

Then we both stripped off and jumped in. After 9 days without a shower it was bliss. 

These lovely colourful starfish were everywhere in the intertidal zone on Baranof Is coast and many other places.  

Perfect kitchen spot on the beach below the high tide mark, so no food smells remaining to attract bears. It must have been cold as I've still got my drysuit on and got the hood up. 

The last few kms into Sitka.