Slideshow 6: Sculpins, Sea Lions and Amazons ... Oh My!!!

Here's a slideshow of the second leg of our week with Eric, Lydia and Cade, from the time we left Glacier Cove and anchored in Inian Cove ... Eric with a BIG catch ... and through Mosquito Pass where we spotted a herd of sea lions gathered on the rocks. We ended up in Pelican Cove, most definitely one of our more “colorful” ports ... a charming boardwalk town with a population of less than 100, and no motorized vehicles except for the garbage truck.

http://web.me.com/lauragongos/Engelenbak/Alaska_6.html

New and Old … Parting Ways With Friends In Pelican

Saturday, June 19

We all had a chuckle when we were headed to the “airport” in Pelican with Lydia, Cade and Eric … who were taking a seaplane to Juneau to connect with their flight home to Virginia.

Forget security. And don't worry about that liquid hand cream in your carry-on! The airport is a floating dock, one float over from Engelenbak. As we all gathered there waiting for the seaplane to fly in, an electric cart came wheeling down the dock to the plane carrying everyone’s luggage.

They couldn’t have chosen a better day to fly. Crystal clear and sunny, a rarity in Alaska … and at Roland’s suggestion, Eric was able to take the front seat next to the pilot … talk about the ride of a lifetime! With Cade still in his life vest, we watched everyone strap themselves in and off they went … floating past Engelenbak before making a u-turn, skimming down the surface of Lisianski Inlet, and then slowly lifting from the water and disappearing behind the steep coastlines of the inlet. So began their 40-minute aerial jaunt to Juneau, a course that took us one week with many twists and turns in Engelenbak. It was a delight having them on board for the week, and I hope Cade retains many good memories of his new experiences in Alaska.

We spent the rest of that afternoon at the Lisianski Inlet Café, having a bite to eat and taking advantage of their Wi-Fi to catch up on emails and upload the blog.

For such a short time in Pelican, we had made some wonderful acquaintances, including Keith and Deb, owners of Cross Sound Seafoods, a small family-owned business specializing in hook-and-line caught salmon and halibut, who we ran into again at the café. Keith gave us some great advise for our crossing of the Gulf of Alaska and Deb had given us some halibut the day before which we look forward to tasting at a future date.

We also enjoyed the company of John & Bliss, owners of the deep blue steel trawler Morning Mist docked next to us, and invited them for cocktails where they shared stories of their travels between Alaska and their ranch in Prescott, AZ.

For dinner that evening we walked to the top of the boat harbor to the Highliner Lodge, an intimate fishing lodge with a chef who could rival some of the best in most cities … I especially was in love with his starter … grilled scallops with a tomato avocado relish. If you’re ever looking for a serious charter fishing vacation in a delightfully remote location with great hosts and a wonderful cook… I highly suggest the Highliner. Owners Jill and Steve Daniels, winter in Sitka and head to Pelican for a short season …. the lodge is open June through August. We enjoyed hearing the colorful history of the lodge since they bought it in 2002 … and the evolution of their business.

In just two days … we indeed were charmed by Pelican, its unique setting and some of the folks we’d met there. It’s one town we hope to return to!

An Amazon in Pelican … Rose’s Bar and Grill, an Alaskan Institution

Friday, June 18

On our last evening together with Lydia, Cade and Eric we opted for a “colorful” dinner at Rose’s Bar & Grill in Pelican, which we've learned is a legend among boaters in the region.

The sign in front of Rose’s should have been a giveaway … “WORLD FAMOUS … ROSE’S BAR & GRILL … MUSEUM & GIFT SHOP.” Turns out Rose is the “museum” part of that equation ... she is about 80 years old, has operated the bar for years, and consequently has built quite a regional reputation (for both the bar … and herself!!).

The evening was a bonanza for Cade. No sooner had we sat down and placed our order (including some open-mouthed ogling at the interior décor of Rose’s, which could be an entire blog post of its own) … a local resident walked in with a bright green Amazon parrot named "Buddy" sitting on his shoulder. Now THAT's something you just don’t see every day.

Rose’s apparently is the favored hangout for fisherman (one of two local taverns in Pelican), where we also met Terri, winner of the 2010 Pelican King Salmon Derby, awarded that evening. And finally, Roland made a friend of his own … a new blond babe that you won’t want to miss in the accompanying photo.

Rose’s turned out to be a dinner stop that I am sure will provide us with many stories to share for years to come.

Next time you see us … ask about the signing of the ceiling … and the “she” who turned out to be a “he!”

Pelican … A Charm You Have to See to Believe

Friday, June 18

On Friday, we planned to tie up at Elfin Cove to see about flights to Juneau for Lydia and Eric the next day, but ended up going to Pelican because the docks were full at Elfin.

This was a stroke of luck for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that there was a big FIRE at Elfin Cove Friday evening. We undoubtedly would not have had much sleep.

Even better, we were able to experience Pelican … a uniquely “Alaskan” settlement that I had read about as I was planning for our trip and noted as a must see!

The only way to get to Pelican is by boat or seaplane.

With a population of about 80, it is located on Lisianski Inlet on the northwest corner of Chichagof Island, 10 miles from the entrance to the Gulf of Alaska.

This charming community sits mostly on stilts along a mile-long broad wooden boardwalk that serves as “main street,” overlooking the harbor and facing a towering snow-capped line of mountains dotted waterfalls on the opposite side of the inlet.

The only gasoline-fueled vehicle in town is the garbage truck. Instead you see electric carts zipping up and down the boardwalk all day and night.

Pelican was founded around a fish processing plant in the 1930s. Sadly, the plant has since closed taking its toll on the community. But Pelican is still all about fish. The harbor is filled with fishing boats, the town’s motto is “Closest to the Fish!” and the night we arrived coincided with the awards ceremony for the annual Pelican Salmon Derby.

Those are all the hard facts about Pelican. What’s more difficult to share is the feeling one gets walking through this charming community. The simplicity of life … where children wear life vests to and from school walking along the boardwalk: or when they take the time to tell you about the berries they are picking from the hillside next to the boardwalk … and offer you a handful of salmonberries.

It’s a community where everyone knows everyone. Where at 2 a.m. they leave their homes and jump in their boats to help their neighbors in Elfin Cove put out a fire. And while they don’t all agree with each other as is common in any community, they are bound together by a unique “tribal” closeness, living along one single boardwalk … walking past the same homes, buildings, and small businesses day after day … with the sea and sky being the only escape.

And more than anything, it’s a community with a view so stunning, you are surprised that no one has bought out the entire boardwalk and turned it into an exclusive tourist destination. I certainly hope that never happens.

“Tourism Rapes Alaska” in Inian Cove

Thursday, June 17

I was still sleeping Thursday morning when we pulled anchor at 6 a.m., but am told Engelenbak was really speeding when we left Glacier Bay … travelling with a strong current and running 12.9 knots. In comparison, our normal cruising speed is 7.5 knots!

In just over four hours we cruised 40 nautical miles and were already dropping anchor in Inian Cove at 10:15 a.m., about 4 miles north of Elfin Cove. We were greeted by the local Inian Cove “Welcome Wagon” … an old beached fishing boat along shore displaying a big sign that read “TOURISM RAPES ALASKA.” Apparently, this was a squatter with attitude!

With an entire day to spend at anchor, we promptly dropped a crab trap in hope of catching dinner. In the meantime, Eric and Cade also broke out the fishing poles and, with a little help from Roland (now an experienced fisherman) they even caught a fish!

Of course, none of us have a clue what Eric caught. But we believe it was a “rosy lip sculpin” based on the photo in the fish identification card we have on board. We have a long way to go to get up to speed on this fishing thing!

Leaving Inian Cove the next day we passed a rocky island in Mosquito Pass covered with a herd of sea lions. Of course we all ran for out cameras!!!

We weren’t the only ones interested in the sea lions. We soon saw several inflatables filled with tourists checking out the sea lions, and around the bend saw the big National Geographic tour boat that we had last seen docked in Petersburg. Small world.

Slideshow 5: Leaving Juneau With a New Crew

This group of photos begins when our "new crew" joined us in Juneau and includes whale-watching in Icy Strait, a tour through Glacier Bay ... and even a wedding anniversary. Best of all, it includes photos of Cade ... totally enthralled by the new and unusual world around him. Enjoy!

http://web.me.com/lauragongos/Engelenbak/Alaska_5.html

Sunny Glacier Gazing and Girl Time on the Bow

Wednesday, June 16

One thing I’ve learned since cruising in Alaska … it’s best to view glaciers under sunny skies. The light pulls amazing colors out of the ice, like prisms on steroids.

While Wednesday started out fairly gray and gloomy, by late afternoon when we reached Reid Glacier, the sun had emerged and Lydia and I pulled chairs out on the bow soaking in the sun, enjoying the view … and catching up on life.

We motored up to the head of Reid and were in awe of its immensity … but also surprised that there was not a single iceberg floating in the inlet outside the glacier. So different from our previous experiences at Le Conte and Endicott. Lydia especially was disappointed … she had been looking forward to a Glacier Cosmo!

Check out the slide show, which I’ll be posting next, to see some amazing photos. My guess is that between all of us at least 400 photos were taken that afternoon … even Lovie made it up on deck for a portrait with a glacial backdrop. The scenery most definitely will put you in another state of mind.

In the meantime, like magic, once we left the glaciers and headed back into the bay and on to Shag Cove to anchor for the evening, the rain began to fall.

But we had had our day in the sun … with the glaciers.