Saturday, August 23, 2014

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. 

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