Wednesday May 5 Depart Butedale for Bishop Bay Hotsprings....Ah the Oasis!!!!
The “piece de resistance” today and for the next few days is the lure of the “Hot Springs”, accessible only by water. Bishop Bay Hot Springs, off of Ursula Channel is our first stop. The “Prawning Boat” - “Miss Mary” was resting on the dock and gladly assisted with our dock lines.

Do not believe all you read about how tough fishing is...this photo demonstrates the tough life of a seaman....

We all enjoyed a soak in the pools including the company of the father (John Oakes) and son (Jared) crew of “Miss Mary” ‘Cinco de Mayo’ today and we celebrated with spritzers and sun tanning on the deck....go figure!! Could life get much better??!!
We invite John and Jared back to the Steel Eagle for some guitar and sing-a-long on the dock!

May 6th Europa Hot Springs was our next pool stop. Gumboots and slippery rocks, wonderful views of the surrounding snow capped mountains reflecting on the clear calm, waters of Gardner Canal enhanced our dip in the delightfully warm pools.

The last of the hot springs list was the scenic Weewanie Hot Springs of Devastation Channel. Bev was so excited that she scrambled up the slippery slopes, stripped and stepped into..... a LUKE WARM pool.... she wanted to be the first one to bath so we allowed her, and she was the ONLY one who got wet in this so called, HOT SPRING!!!

May 10, 11, and 12th Prince Rupert.....docked at PRRYC in Cow Bay a unique little area of Prince Rupert. Lots of items painted black and white like a Holstein Cow!

There were many friendly unique little shops along the boardwalk. The girls head up and down the walk looking for The Mall! No “Winners” for Bev, just Fields, Zellers, and the Bargain Store. Larry and Wayne hang back at the boat to fix the anchor wash down. After three trips up and down the hill for parts we now have a brand new swanky wash down on the Steel Eagle. Bev found a Casino!!?? We decide to stay two more days and wait for a weather window to head north once again. Tuesday May 11th we have a reservation at Breakers Pub to watch the last Vancouver Canucks/Chicago Blackhawks game. Had too much fun with the locals!

Two large freighters sitting in the Bay....they were waiting to load from the Grain Terminal or the Cargo Terminal. With all their lights lit up at night Bev and Larry’s bedroom in the cockpit was like downtown Las Vegas!!!
Best of all.....we found a TIM HORTONS!

Chief “Larry Lend me a Buck” from Indus First Nations continues to entertain us with stories of the Orcas, wolves and bears! As well as little weather forecasting on the side for his little “White Prairie Dove” Bev.
May 13 and finally leaving Prince Rupert as our pockets books are now stressed once again...we motor on for Brundige Inlet on Dundas Island. Our next hurtle is the Infamous Dixon Entrance which can hold pleasure boats up for days. Brundige gives you the advantage of a jumping off point as close to the actual leap as possible.
At 11:30 the view out across Dixon Entrance..... What Calm seas??? No wind??
You won’t go more than a couple of miles before you know if you belong there.
Go For It!!!

In days of old, sailors who had been becalmed would take to whistling to encourage the wind to return. Wishing for a great sail across Dixon,

I put the crew on it...........Whistling that is...... I would have been better served by feeding them baked beans!!!

At 2:30pm we arrived safely thru the rugged inlet of Foggy Bay...and drop the anchor in yet another pristine anchorage!!

Larry pops open our bottle of chilled Champaign, and we toast to our safe arrival in ALASKA!!

Ketchikan....Here We Come!!!