Adventures on Blue Redd

We are in Meyers Chuck, AK.   This is a funky isolated community that is about as off the beaten path as can be imagined.   There are about 20 homes here lining the bay and the bay behind this one called "Back Chuck".    A "chuck" is a Tlingit word meaning something like "bay that fills and empties with the tide".  Technically, Meyers Chuck and Back Chuck are not true chucks, but so what. The people here are genuine characters and have interesting histories and stories.   Mostly dealing with how independent, yet supportive they are of one another. I will say that their sense of humor is alive and well, based on the various art, signs, and notations we encountered on our hike. This community is off grid, off power, and off water, and off Internet.   But there is cell service here.  Their cell tower is perched by the coast and run by a generator. There are no roads, the only way in & out is by float plane or boat. There is no...

Today dawned like most of the others.   Fog, Overcast, & Rain...  We decided to divide and conquer the tasks.   Karen, Kippy, & Dean walked into town to go to the store and the marine chandlery.   We were out of eggs and I needed a bilge pump float switch, both of which have been resolved.   How exciting is that!   I stayed aboard and did a couple of work meetings and drafted a few emails to people. Boating as a lifestyle and work can truly coexist.   It takes some effort and technology, but it works. Karen received word that her Uncle Bill had passed.   Bill was a really cool guy.   He and I bonded pretty quickly as he is a fellow woodworker, boater, and all around interesting thoughtful person.   Bill & I would tease each other from time to time about projects, and challenges.   I will miss him.    RIP Bill Link. The aforementioned delayed our departure by a f...

We departed Petersburg in a complete blanket of fog.   Visibility was under 50 yards.   I could barely see the front of the boat., 20' away.   The picture, above, is courtesy of Kippy.   This was taken as the fog was starting to lift. 3 GPS/Chartplotters, 2 Radars, 2 AIS, 2 Depth Sounders, and an active VHF - we were underway.   I just want to thank Wally Smith, my USCG Auxiliary Coxswain and friend, as he made me drive on patrols whenever it was foggy in Monterey Bay.   I also have to shout out to Scott Galloway who was our lead Instructor in the navigation classes we co-taught.  If you want to learn how to manage yourself, your boat, and flow with the sea, then I highly recommend the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.  Fabulous training, experience, and people.   THANK YOU, Wally and Scott! I sounded the appropriate fog signal as we entered the channel, my compatriots were not happy, so no fog signals thereafter....

This morning dawned a bit differently than most.   It wasn't raining!   But it was still foggy and overcast.  Hey, 1 out of 3 up here isn't bad!!! A nice breakfast on the boat and a leisurely departure at 1052.   Only 22 miles to Petersburg; we pulled in at 1402 (2:02pm).   But again, the same looking fishing boat was at the marina entrance - fishing.  Fishing in the middle of the entrance to the marina!   I gave him room and went way around him.   As I was maneuvering into the marina entrance from the side, this guy turned and shot right in front of me.  I had to slam the boat into reverse to not hit him.   What is it with these small-boat-fishermen up here?  Two jerks in two days!   I thought about blasting my horn 5 times (proper danger signal), but that seemed overly aggressive on my part, though it was the proper maritime thing to do in this situation. Petersburg is a fishing town of...