Friday May 21st .... After navigating Wrangell Narrows we arrive at the friendly town of Petersburg....better known as Alaska’s Little Norway. The town is located on the north end of Metkof Island. It is well known for its Norwegian heritage and for harbouring one of Alaska’s most prosperous fishing fleets. A Noregian named Peter Buschman was the founder of a fish packing company called Icy Straights and a saw mill to cut lumber for the construction of the plant. The cannery changed hands several times and is now known as Icicle Seafood’s based in Seattle.


Our time here involved visiting the Clausen Memorial Museum, shop till you drop, lunch at Tina’s and a walk to Eagles Roost Park. We wanted to see La Conte Glacier but we weren’t sure if we could get close enough, on Steel Eagle, due to possible ice calving in the inlet which leads up to the glacier.



















So Larry, Lend Me a Buck, phoned and booked a charter flight with Pacific Wings Air Charters for a tour of the glacier. We boarded the “Beaver” float plane at 10:00 A.M. Saturday morning under a clear sunny sky, flew across Frederick Sound, climbed to three thousand feet and skimmed along Horn Cliffs to see if we could spot the mountain goats.

Sure enough we saw 5 goats clinging to the cliffs. We soared on through the gaps and into a snow packed mountain back country that glistened in the sunlight; truly and awesome sight. Our pilot, Cole, gave us a grand tour of the glacier from many different angles. LeConte has the distinction of being the southernmost tidewater glacier in North America. It’s terminus rises 200 feet above sea level with 800 feet yet below. It extends 20 miles back toward the Canadian border and has been measured at 4400 feet thick in places.
Then on the flight back to Petersburg, we flew over the town and airport to watch the jet approaching on our port side.

TUSEN TAKK Petersburg
Sunday May 23rd Bev has stayed aboard Steel Eagle long enough that she now needs a hair cut....Wendy is quick to respond!!

We departed the safe harbour of Petersburg bound for Snug Cove in Gambier Bay. Transiting north in Frederick Sound, finding the seas once again calm. It’s smooth motoring as we gear up to pass yet another cape, Cape Fanshaw. Another long narrow point, with reefs and rock protruding out into the sound, so like all the other capes, the Douglass book informs us to give it a wide birth.

We dropped the hook, once again the only boat in the anchorage, at Snug Cove.
Monday May 24th 6:00am depart Gambier Bay for Tracey Arm. At 9:20am humpback whales are in the distance and Captain Wayne steers the Steel Eagle closer, to capture the photo opportunity.

Today we passed by our first Ice Berg...... well bergie bit actually.....another moment we’ve all been waiting for.


Once we dropped anchor in Tracy Arm Cove, the dingy took Gayle and the boys on the hunt for happy hour ice. Had we known ice would simply be offered up by the tide water glaciers we wouldn’t have bothered to install the ice maker. And its old ice too; to go with the much younger single malt scotch. It only takes one drink of this concoction to make you intoxicated, but we couldn’t decide whether it was the 12th or the 13th!

During happy hour, Larry spied Momma Grizzly and her 3 cubs feasting clams on the Beach. Darlene, on the Great Northern Boaters Net, informed us that it is not uncommon for Grizzly’s to have 3 cubs as food is so plentiful.
Wayne, Wendy and Steel Eagle executed a ballet through the icebergs as we weave our way up 21 of the 25 miles in Tracy Arm Channel. It was exhilarating!!!

Finally halted by the denseness of the ice bergs, we turned around and threaded our way back down the channel. Not able to see Sawyer Glacier, but what a ride!!

Tuesday May 25th Our destination today is Taku Harbor and one of the many free docks located throughout SE Alaska. They are placed in safe harbours and provided for public use. BC could learn a lesson here.
Chatting with some of the locals, we gained much knowledge about the area. Bob and Pat toured us on a walk along the shore. Warned of the many bears in the area, Bob lead the way, packing his 357 magnum!
Next Blog.....Juneau here we come!