Sea kayaking in Prince William Sound, Alaska

This site has information and web links about kayaking in the Sound. Stop back later to see updates.

I'm Jim Scherr and I've been kayaking in Prince William Sound for over a two decades. This site is a compilation of information I have found useful over the years and it should answer some of your questions about paddling in the Sound. I can be contacted at jim_scherr@hotmail.com.  I've also posted trip reports for my kayak trips outside of the Sound on Facebook at:   

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sea-Kayaking/270768529788538  

I also have posted some trips and locations of campsites on paddlingmaps.com where you can download campsite locations in GPS format for loading into a GPS.

     

I've begun my trips from either Valdez in the eastern Sound or Whittier in the western Sound. Most of my paddling has been in the western Sound because it is closer to my home in Anchorage. I've very much enjoyed the paddling I've done in the eastern Sound. The two areas are quite different. The most striking differences are the many glaciers in the West that are lacking in the East and the many campable beaches in the East that are lacking in the West.  

 

A note of warning.  There is a large potential landslide in the Barry Arm of western Prince William Sound that could cause a large tsunami effecting much of the Sound without the warning of an earthquake.  More information can be found at the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys website:

         https://dggs.alaska.gov/hazards/barry-arm-landslide.html

 

Boat and gear rentals

When I was renting boats I used Sound Paddler in Whittier(formerly Prince William Sound Kayak Center and the same friendly owners). They rent boats and much of the gear you'll want. Call them at (877) 472-2452 or check them out at:

http://www.pwskayakcenter.com/

Another company in Whittier is Alaska Sea Kayakers I have never rented from them but they have been renting kayaks for a number of years. Call them at (877) 472-2534 or go to: 

http://www.alaskaseakayakers.com/ 

Lazy Otter in Whittier also rents kayaks.  I've never rented from them but I have used their reliable water taxi.  Call them at (907) 472-6887) or go to:  

http://www.lazyotter.com

I've talked with the folks at Anadyr Adventures ((907) 835-2814 or (800) 865-2925) in Valdez who rent boats and gear. They were friendly and helpful in answering questions about paddling in their neck of the Sound. They are at:

http://www.alaska.net/~anadyr/pws/rentals.html

Another company in Valdez is Pangaea Adventures ((800) 660-9637. They rent boats and gear but I've never had the chance to use them.
http://www.pangaeaadventures.com/

Water taxies

In Whittier, I've used Epic Charters ((888) 742-3742 or (907) 242-4339 ). They are reliable and have boats designed to haul kayaks. I've also used Lazy Otter ((907) 472-6887) who also has boats designed to haul kayaks.   Aquetec ((907) 253-8776  is a charter that I've never had a chance to use. Lazy Otter has a taxi sharing program where you can share a taxi with another group going to the same place and both groups receive a reduced rate. Contact the charters at:

http://www.epicchartersalaska.com 

http://www.lazyotter.com

In Valdez, Anadyr Adventures ((907) 835-2814, (800) 865-2925) provide water taxies. Anadyr Advenures are friendly and helpful in answering questions, but I have never used them. Contact them at

http://www.alaska.net/~anadyr/pws/watertaxi.html

The water taxi operators try to be on time but plan for delays due to weather or other problems. if the weather is bad, you might have to wait at your remote pickup for a day or more so have enough extra food and fuel to get you through.

The Alaska Ferry system can transport your kayak and gear to and from four ports in the Sound, Whittier, Valdez, Cordova, and Chenega Bay. You'll need a flexible schedule since arrivals and departures vary by the day of the month but the Alaska Ferry is an inexpensive way to travel to any of these towns. Most maps show the location of Whittier, Valdez, and Cordova but not always Chenega Bay. Chenega Bay is not on Chenega Island but in Sawmill Bay on Evans Island. The ferry schedule can be found at:http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/

Transportation from Anchorage to Whittier

I drive to Whittier through the Aton Anderson tunnel. The tunnel is a single lane road and shared by trains. A schedule for the tunnel openings is at:

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/creg/whittiertunnel/index.shtml

I believe you can take a train from Anchorage to Whittier but last year they only carried passengers and no luggage. That might change in the future. Give they a call at (800) 544-0552.

There are two shuttle services in Anchorage that can take you to Whittier, Magic Bus ((907) 230-6773), Girdwood Shuttle ((907) 783-1900 or girdwoodshuttle.com) and Shuttleman ((907) 677-8537).

Kayak Put-ins

Whittier has three kayak put-ins. The put-in I use the most frequently is a concrete boat ramp with a dock before you reach the harbor master. There is an $10.00 fee to use this ramp and can be paid at the harbor master's office. This ramp lets you launch in the protected harbor. 

The second put-in is at the far end of town called Divers Cove or Smitty’s Cove. Cross the railroad tracks, drive past the city parking lot, and continue to the far end of town. This is a concrete ramp with a cobble beach to one side. It is a good put-in when the wind is blowing from the southwest. It can also save you effort paddling to the harbor entrance. There is no parking here and a fee is required for use. There has been a lot of construction nearby so beware of the heavy equipment.  

The third put-in is a small northeast facing beach next to the Alaska State Ferry terminal.  The beach is owned by Lazy Otter.  They charge a fee to launch and they have parking nearby for a fee.  Contact them for current pricing at (907) 472-6887 or through their website  

http://www.lazyotter.com

There are several kayak put-ins in Valdez.  One is about 1000' east of the ferry terminal.  It is located in the southeast corner of the paved parking lot at the end of Hazelett Avenue.  It has a treaded path and rock steps down to a gravel beach.  There is a sign that says kayak launch.  There is no fee to use this launch.    

Another put-in at Valdez is a small beach east of the boat harbor on South Harbor Drive.  There is free long term parking in the lot at the far eastern end of the boat harbor.  If you stay at the Bear Paw campground tenting area then you can launch off their beach too.  If you need to shuttle your boat and gear to a put-in, you can arrange with Anadyr Adventures (800-865-2925) to meet you at the ferry terminal and transport you to the put-in.

The put-in at Chenega Bay is at the boat launch, a short haul from the ferry terminal. The boat launch is a steel ramp that floats up and down with the tides. If the sea level is too low to launch from the boat ramp, then go to the beach at the southern end of the dock area to launch.

Camping

For most overnight trips I camp on the beaches with a tent. There are a few campsites with facilities such as outhouses, tent platforms, and bear-proof containers but in most areas these are not available. Campsites with facilities are near Whittier at Squirrel Cove, Decision Point, and Surprise Cove. In most areas it is not possible to camp in the woods behind the beach because it is too wet for a tent. I've landed at many beaches backed by beautiful green meadows only to find the lush green areas to be soggy. They may be great places for a hammock tent though. Because of the large tide range in the Sound, you'll want to camp as far up the beach as you can. When picking a camping beach look for seaweed left by the last high tide then consult your tide table to see if the tides are rising or falling. If you cannot find seaweed left by the last high tide then you might want to look for another beach. I know several kayakers who have been awoken in the middle of the night by the sea creeping into their tent.

Another consideration is the surf. Where will those breaking waves be at high tide? Camping on an exposed beach can provide great views but just be careful that the weather is in your favor. Related to surf are the swells produced by caving glaciers. Camping near a tidewater glacier can provide spectacular views but beware of the swells. I've heard of 6' swells rushing upon beaches.

Finally beware of tidal flats if you might be leaving your campsite at low tide. No one wants to carry their boats and gear through muck and slimy rocks then load the boats. The worst tidal flats are marked on topo maps but most beaches have some slimy rocks if you load your boat a low tide.

The Sound can be a rainy place and tarps make a rainy campsite pleasant. I use one tarp to cover a cooking area so I can have a pleasant evening. A second tarp covers the tent. In extended heavy rains the best rain fly eventually leaks and a tarp keeps the fly dry. The tarp lets you remove wet clothing before entering the tent. A well ventilated tent with lots of screen and a good rain fly is preferred for camping in the rains of the Sound. This kind of tent decreases the amount of condensation collecting inside the tent. A tent with lots of screen may be a little drafty but you'll stay drier.

Cabins

here are a number of public cabins for rent. They are a pleasant break from camping especially if the weather is bad. Information on cabin location and
availability can be found and reservations made at https://www.recreation.gov .
A good guide to these is a book by Andromeda Romano-Lax, How to Rent a Public Cabin in Southcentral Alaska : Access and Adventures for Hikers, Kayakers, Anglers, and More

The South Culross cabin has been removed and the Goose Bay cabin was built to replace it. The Goose Bay cabin is at the north end of Culross Passage near the entrance to Goose Bay.

Tides and Currents

The tides can have a range of 20 feet from high to low tide. A beautiful beach that looks ideal for camping can be covered with water in a few hours. It is necessary to have a tide book to know the times of high and low tides. Complementary tide books are found at the local Fred Myers in Anchorage and many sporting goods stores. Tide predictions can be found at the NOAA web site:

https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tide_predictions.html

The tide charts provide the times and elevations of high and low tides but we also need to estimate the tide heights at other times in the tide cycle. The easiest way to do this is to use the rule of 12’s. Tides do not rise or fall in a linear manner. Instead they move a little in the first hour of the cycle then move fastest at mid-tide and slow down at the end of the tide cycle. The rule of 12’s estimates the level of this varying rate of change.

To use the rule of 12’s, first compute the difference between the high and low tide. The tide will move 1/12 of this difference the first hour, 2/12 the second hour, 3/12 the third and fourth hours, 2/12 the fifth hour, and 1/12 the last hour. For example low tide is 1.3’ at 6:55 a.m. and high tide is 10.4’ at 1:20 p.m. What is the estimated tide height at 11:00 a.m? The total change from low to high tide is 9.1’. It is about 4 hours past low tide so the tide has risen 9/12 (1/12 + 2/12+3/12+3/12). The estimated change is 9/12 times 9.1’ or 6.8’. The tide height is 1.3’ plus 6.8’ or 8.1’.
The tidal currents are usually not an issue for paddling in the Sound. There are two exceptions though. The lagoons at the ends of bays can have channels with significant currents. An example of this is the lagoon at Derickson Bay. The channels are hundreds of yards long and you can use your tide chart to estimate when the flow will be the least.

The other exception is the passages between the islands in the southern Sound that border the Gulf of Alaska such as Brainbridge, Prince of Wales, or Elrington passages. These passages are many miles long and the currents can be greater than 3 knots. It is important to know when the the currents are slack and when they reach their maximums and their directions. Tables of this information is available at

https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaacurrents/Regions

Weather

The weather is often wet. The annual rainfall in the Sound is measured in feet. Whittier averages 15' and Valdez averages 5' annually. A great site to see average monthly weather information for Alaska sites is
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/summary/climsmak.html

A webcam overlooking Whittier can give you a picture of the current conditions. It is at

          http://www.cruisin.me/cruise-port-webcams/united-states/whittier-alaska.php

          If this webcam isn't working, search for webcams in Whittier Alaska and you'll find several others. 

After saying all these gloomy things about the weather, I have had week long trips with no rain so remember to bring sun screen for those sunny days. the summer temperatures range from the low 40's to the mid 60's.

Weather conditions can change rapidly. The best way to keep informed is the daily weather updates provided by the National Weather Service. I have a VHF radio that can receive NOAA weather channels. Depending on your location there is usually a weather channel available although they may be on any of the 10 NOAA weather channels. Before your trip you can monitor the NOAA weather forecasts by calling (800) 472-0391. Work through the touch pad menu to hear forecasts for anywhere in Alaska.

Organizations

The local kayaking club, Knik Canoers and Kayaks, is a good way to meet other paddlers and share information. They are active on Facebook where you can send messages to the membership and ask questions. 

Maps and Guide Books

I use the USGS topo maps for navigation and choosing campsites. The inch to a mile scale maps give the coastal detail needed for kayakers. There are Coast Guard navigation charts for the Sound but they don't provide the necessary detail for kayakers. Recently Trails Illustrated have published two maps covering the Sound, Prince William Sound - East and Prince William Sound - West. They give adequate detail plus show campsites and cabins. They are made of plastic making them superior for use in a wet kayak cockpit. These maps can be ordered from:

http://maps.nationalgeographic.com

A newly published book, Kayaking and Camping in Prince William Sound, by Paul Twardock is a good introduction to kayaking in the Sound. It has practical "how to" information with suggested trips and campsites. It is locally published by Prince William Sound Books in Valdez.
A useful guidebook is Cruising Guide to Prince William Sound, Volumes I and II by Jim and Nancy Lethcoe. These are geared to sail boaters but have a fountain of information for kayakers. They discusses campsites, natural history, weather, tides, wildlife and much more.

Fishing

Fishing can add to the fun of your trip and provide some great tasting meals. I've been successful trolling and casing from my boat for pink salmon. And I have caught a few rockfish and char. Salmon fishing is best when you can see some fish jumping. Trolling works well because you can paddle along while fishing but you must stop occasionally and clean seaweed off the lure. If you see fish jumping then it is more productive to cast.

I use 20-pound line on a spinning reel with a 1/2 ounce Pixie spoon. I attached a detachable rod holder to the boat to easily hold the rod when trolling or for storing the rod.  For trolling in a boat without a rod holder, I use a handline attached to a cleat on the boat. Handlines are available from Captain Harry's at 800 327-4088 as catalog number c66-70101.

A comprehensive book about fishing in Alaska is How to Catch Alaska's Trophy Sportfish by Christopher Batin. This covers fishing techniques and lures used for various fish in Alaska.

Expect to see commercial fishing activity throughout the Sound. Commercial fishing is highly regulated with fishing restricted to short periods of time called openers. An opener can bring out a hundred boats to intensely fish an area. They may anchor nets near shore and string them perpendicular to shore so paddle carefully to avoid tangling in the nets or interfering with their operations. If you're lucky someone might give you a fresh caught salmon!

Drinking water

Fresh water is abundant in the Sound but it is often not where you'll be camping. I carry a 2-gallon water bag and fill it up near the end of the day before looking for a campsite. Most of the streams are clear but a few are choked with grey glacial mud. Glacial stream water can be used for cooking if necessary but I try to get water from the clear streams. Although the Sound appears pristine, I purify all my drinking water with iodine while some paddlers use a water filter. At a rainy campsite you can collect rainwater in your cooking pot as it runs off your tarp.

Mosquitoes and biting flies

Camping in Alaska would not be complete without mosquitoes and the Sound is no exception. I have never encountered the clouds of bugs seen in northern Alaska but I always come prepared for them. My first line of defense is repellent. I prefer DEET that always works but others use less toxic repellents with varying results. Burning mosquito coils is also effective in reducing the number of mosquitoes around you when relaxing at your camp.

There are also biting flies in the Sound. The repellents including DEET and mosquito coils have limited effect on them. The best defense is a barrier of clothes and a headnet.

Bears

I've often seen bears but have never had any problems. They can be found throughout the Sound and should be treated with respect. I carry bear spray for repellent but I have never had to use it. Before camping on a beach look for recent bear activity such as fresh droppings before deciding to setting up camp. Beaches near Whittier such as Decision Point, Surprise Cove, and Squirrel Cove have bear proof containers to store your food. On other beaches choose a tree to hang my food for the night. If you have a light food bag then just throw a rope over a high limb and haul it up. For heavy food bags attach a pulley to the rope over the limb and attach a second rope to the pulley. The pulley is hauled up to the limb and the heavy food bag is attached to the second rope and hauled up over the pulley. This is easier on the tree limbs and you.

An alternative to hanging food are bear proof containers. There are sold by several companies and are required in areas such as Denali Park and Glacier Bay. In Anchorage they can be purchased at REI or rented from REI or AMH. The Chugach National Forest Glacier Ranger District has bear proof containers they loan out. Call them at 907-754-2330.

A related article is Kayak Camping and Bears by Martha and David Tomeo in the June 1999 Sea Kayaker.

Some people use portable electric fences to protect their camps and gear. Electric fences are useful when you plan to camp at the same place for an extended length of time or if there are lots of bears in the area. The following website has good information about electric fences.
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=livingwithbears.bearfences

Glaciers

Viewing a tide water glacier is one of the most interesting activities in the Sound. I’ve spent hours floating in front of these walls of ice (see the picture at the top of the page) and watching the ice calve from the face. Seals and otters are sometimes seen on the icebergs or bobbing in the water checking you out. As the newly broken pieces of ice melt in the water they give off a fizzing sound. This is the release of air that was trapped and compressed in the ice for thousands of years.

The calving activity is very unpredictable. Sometimes I’ve floated for an hour and seen no activity then suddenly a quarter mile of ice face will crash into the sea, taking my breath away. Because of the unpredictability of calving, you must stay a safe distance from the glacier at all times. Kayakers have been killed by falling ice or capsized when they ventured too close to the ice face.

Ice can also suddenly torpedo from below you. The nose of the glacier can extend below the water and out into the bay some distance. Large pieces of ice can break off from this submerged tongue of ice and surface without warning. This kind of surprise is another good reason to keep a safe distance from the face of the glacier.

As a rule of thumb, I stay one-half mile from the face. The distance to the ice face is difficult to judge with the eye because there is nothing such as trees to help you estimate distance. The falling ice does offer a simple distance gauge if you count the number of seconds from when you see a piece of ice fall to when you hear the sound. Sound travels a mile in 5 seconds. If you count 2 to 3 seconds from the time you see the ice fall to when you hear it then you are about one-half mile from the ice face.

At this distance there is obviously no problem with falling ice hitting you but the falling ice can cause huge waves. Initially the waves are breaking but by one-half mile they should be just large swells if you are in deep water. The swells can upset the stability of icebergs causing them to suddenly roll so you want to be well away from any floating ice. A double kayak reportedly capsized when a swell caused an iceberg to unexpectedly roll onto their boat. Fortunately a tour boat was nearby to pull the freezing paddlers from the icy water.

As the large swells reach the shore, they can turn into breaking waves that run well up the beach. If you stop for a lunch break on a beach, keep an eye on the activity of the ice face. This is most important on beaches such as the Black Sand beach at the north end of the Barry Arm near Harriman Fiord. This beach is very near three active glaciers and huge waves can run to the top of the beach, washing away boats, gear, and you! The surge from a calving glacier can affect beaches miles from the ice face. I’ve been miles away from a glacier and seen surges run several feet up the beach.

The waves caused by falling ice are the same type of wave formed by tsunamis. The Good Friday earthquake of 1964 was centered in the Sound and caused spectacular waves. The largest waves caused destruction 100’ above sea level. These waves were probably triggered by landslides below the ocean surface that occurred within minutes of the earthquake. 

When the next major earthquake occurs in this area, we can expect similar excitement in the Sound. I just hope I’ll be viewing it from a very high vantage point.

Articles about the Sound

There are a number of articles about paddling in the Sound. A recent book, History of Prince William Sound by Jim and Nancy Lethcoe, discusses the history of the area. Also see Going with the Floes by Michele Morris in the February 1999 Backpacker. This article discusses a paddling trip in the Sound.

Day paddles from Whittier

On a sunny day in Whittier it is pleasant to paddle and enjoy the beautiful shoreline. Whittier has two day paddle destinations. For someone with only a few hours, the kitty-wake rockery is a good choice. Paddle north to the northwest side of Passage Canal. The rockery is on the seep brush covered cliffs. Look for a rocky outcrop down to the ocean with water falls on either side. The rocks are populated with hundreds of white kitty-wakes.
This noisy colony raises their young on the tiny rock knobs of the cliffs. Don't venture too close or you'll disturb then. I enjoy floating nearby watching these birds.
A longer day paddle is Shotgun cove with it's shipwreck on the beach. This takes at least four hours of paddle time. Paddle along the southeast coast of Passage Canal and you'll come the wide bay after two hours of paddling.

Overnight trips from Whittier

Shotgun cove is also an easy overnight destination. The entrance to the cove is two hours from Whittier. Probably the first thing you'll notice is the wrecked vessel on the eastern shore. Or you may see the two huge mooring buoys in the middle of the bay. I've camped on the beach by the wreck. It is a tight spot for one tent. Better campsites are toward the back of the Shotgun cove where you can view the boat traffic of Passage Canal without the noise. Continuing past the wreck a quarter mile, you'll find a bigger beach with good camping
At the back of the cove on the west side is a salmon stream that has a mid-June run of chums. This is a good place to see Bald Eagles or bears feeding on the spawned-out salmon at low tide. To the east is a small campable gravel beach that provides a good viewing area of the salmon stream. Shotgun Cove has no glaciers or glacial streams draining into it so the water is often clean. Here can be seen the softball sized orange colored jelly fish.
There is also a campable beach at the back of the two bays on the west side of the entrance to Shotgun cove. There are good views of the boat activity in Passage Canal but they are noisy compared to the campsites within Shotgun cove.
The following posts of trip reports may give you additional paddling ideas.

Perry Island - June 2022

6/22 - The day was warm and sunny.  Jean and I paddled from the Lazy Otter kayak launch in Whittier.  There was a light headwind all the way to Decision Point where we camped.  No one else is camping here tonight.   There are a few gnats so we used our bug jackets.  We only saw day paddlers.  There are lots of jet skis going into Decision Bay.  We saw a few eagles and two jellyfish.  Heard sea lions barking in Shotgun Cove but could not see them.  They may be hauled out on the mooring buoys.  Paddled 9 miles.

6/23 - A calm mostly cloudy morning and a sunny afternoon.  We took a short day and paddled to Surprise Cove and camped.  A family in a zodiac was there.  Day of rest.  Saw a sea otter.  No kayakers.  Five mile day.

6/24 - Low clouds and mostly calm.  Got water at a stream east of Surprise Cove.  Could hear the stream from camp.  Paddled across Cochran Bay. There is commercial fishing near the entrance to Colross Passage. There were no fishing boats east of Colross Passage.  There appeared to be several campsites at the top of Colross Island.  Two sea lions accompanied us for a while at the top of Colross Island.  Camped near Tipping Point on Perry island as at the Trails iIllustrated map, Prince William Sound - West .  There are at least two camping beaches here. A small protected beach to the north and a big beach to the south.   We stayed on the big beach which works in a 12 foot tide but might not work in a 14 foot tide.  A hummingbird came through camp. There was a seal and a sea lion in the bay too.  Blackflies are here. No kayakers today.  Fourteen mile day.

6/25 -  A cloudy day with sun in the late afternoon.  A southwest wind and seas made the first two hours hard paddling with lots of concentration. Could not find the stream on the west side of the island. There are lots of beaches for breaks. Some of them had reefs in front of them for a calm landing.  Checked out campsite at the end of the island shown on the Trails Illustrated map.  There is a big flat spot on the point for camping.  This is a nice high site if there are no swells on the beach.  Around the corner on the bottom of the island and up the east coast a mile we found water in a nondescript location. There is no obvious stream on the beach but the shape of the beach was unusual so I stopped to check it out. Behind the high beach berm was a small stream. There is a flat tent site that would work in these low tide ranges.  I got a GPS location which matches the outlet of the stream on my topo map. We continued north to the Trails Illustrated campsite near Billings Point.  There are sea lions and sea otters in front of the campsite tonight.  There were two land otters in the bay.  Also saw seals and sea lions on the paddle today.  Surprised we've only seen a few eagles all trip.  No kayakers today. Fourteen mile day.

6/26 - A cloudy calm day with sun by mid-afternoon.  The sea lions were very active last night.  There was a great blue heron on the beach last night.  Paddled north to the cove with the Trails Illustrated campsite.  The site on the outside of the cove is not a good landing beach and it did not look like good camping.  There is another beach in the cove but we did not check it out. There is a stream at the back of the cove. The beach is very rocky and we landed very carefully. Fortunately there were no waves. We got water. We then paddled toward the Dutch Group to the island marked tree on my topo map.  It took us an hour with calm wind in 1 to 2 foot seas.  We saw a few puffins near the island and lots of gulls.  We return to Perry Island and as we paddled north up the east coast, we came across a sea lion haul out.  There were too many sea lions to count.  They were tightly packed in and very noisy. Fun to watch. There are no landing beaches north of the cove where we got water.  And no beaches at the entrance of East Twin Bay.  We finally found a beach near the entrance to West Twin Bay. Three and one-half hours in the boat.  Saw sea otters off and on.  Camped on a calm sunny beach north of the first Perry Island camp.  There are no marine mammals here but lots of iris and chocolate lilies along the shore.  We've seen bull kelp and jellyfish every day on Perry Island.  Saw a day paddler off of one of the boats in the cove with water but no other kayakers.  Very few bugs tonight.  Sixteen mile day.

6/27 - A cloudy calm morning and sunshine by noon.  Stayed at the same camp. Paddle to the back of West Twin Bay for water.  There are lots of beaches along the way for breaks on the west side of the bay. The water source is a big stream. Paddled to the Trails Illustrated camp nearby for lunch.  This is a good landing beach with camping high in the trees. Some idiot built a fireplace in one of the tent sites.  Saw a few little young sea lions. Also a loon. There are very few beaches on the east side of the bay. Another pleasant evening in camp with sun.  No kayakers today. A short rest day. There is an island north of camp which has two campable beaches.  One faces east and the other faces west.  Six mile day.

6/28 - Clear night.  Low of 45 and dew on the tent.   Breezy morning with white caps in the passage. We've noted eagles hanging around the island in front of us for the past two days.  This morning we finally saw their nest. One eagle was at the nest and the other stood guard in a nearby treetop.  We're guessing the eggs haven't hatched. Fun to watch. Left camp near noon when the seas had calmed.  Paddled to a big beach near the crossing for Cochrane Bay.  We have just enough beach if there are no swells tonight. The seas are calm. Commercial fishing is still ongoing at the entrance to Colross Passage. No kayakers today.  Heard and saw whales sounding in the passage in the evening. Ten mile day.

6/29 - The high tide came within 4 feet of the tent last night.  Luckily there were no boat wakes or swells. A warm clear night. A clear day with a light breeze from behind. Hummingbirds came by the feeder this morning.  All of them were interested in the pattern on the handkerchief.  Some figured out how to drink from the feeder.  Paddled back to Whittier in six hours. Saw our first paddlers past Decision Point. Had a tailwind and following seas most of the way. Very dry trip. Only had dew on the tent.  Never put up the tarp. Saw sea otters off Decision Point, the only animals of the day.  Eighteen mile day.

 Columbia Bay - July 2021

7/13 - Jean and I drove 320 miles to Valdez from Anchorage in seven hours.  Today was cloudy and sunny but dry. Camped at the Bear Paw campground on the highest tent site.  There are nice hot showers, a covered area for cooking and seating inside out of the wind and rain. It cost $30. Very noisy night with lots of harbor noise. More than I've ever heard.

7/14 - A few sprinkles overnight.  Dry and calm morning.  It was very windy yesterday. The campsites I mention in this trip report can be downloaded in GPX format for loading into a GPS from the paddlingmaps.com website.  We got an early start to avoid the wind and showers. Launched from the city kayak beach near the campground. This beach is very clean with no seaweed on it at low tide. Better than the Bear Paw beach.  It also has steps down a steep slope. Boats are commercial fishing in the Port. We started to get a headwind after two hours. We paddled to a beach that works in low tides just south of Shoup Bay. Saw sea otters, sea lions and eagles. Cloudy day but low winds and dry. Gnats are on the beach.  This is a long beach and is good for walking. The highest tide is 11 feet today.

7/15 - Dry calm night with a low of 49.  Sun hit the beach at 7 AM and we were off the beach by nine to get ahead of the wind at the Narrows.  The paddle through the Narrows was calm. Breeze picked up in the last two hours of our five hour paddle to 17 mile beach.  Saw lots of commercial fishing boats but they were not fishing.  Partly cloudy day. The sun warmed us but it was cool when the clouds moved over.  Quiet seas.  Saw a raft of sea otter moms with pups and sea lions.  Boy are the sea lions big. They give us a long look when they passed us.  Saw jellyfish and starfish.  No sign of bear on the beaches but we still are hanging food. 17 mile is a huge camping beach with a stream. It could hold a large group. The beach lost sun by 6 PM. The wind lay in the evening.  This is a good beach in big tides. Saw no other kayakers.  Lots of salmon are jumping. This is a long beach and is good for walking.  There were a few sprinkles around bedtime and a rainbow. An oil tanker sailed by.  The highest tide is 11 feet today.

7/16 - The sun woke us up.  It was calm and we got a 9 AM start to take advantage of the good weather to get around Cape Freemantle.  Lots of salmon are jumping and sea lions fishing. Some salmon even splashed Jean when they jumped near her boat.  Saw a jellyfish on the beach. Stopped on a beach after 3 miles for a break. This would be a good camping beach. This is the last place to stop until Elf point.  We got to Elk Point two hours after the rest beach. It was around low tide and the beach was too rocky to land. Took a break on a beach on a bit farther up the coast. Paddled along the coast across from Heather Island for another hour and found a good campsite on an island that works in today's 11 foot high tide. There is good high camping on top of the island in the trees too. This could be a good foul weather site. Saw a lots of animals today. Besides the sea lions, there were jumping salmon and lots of sea otters. A few seals too. In Columbia Bay, we saw 20 land otters swimming and then going into the woods.  I’ve never seen a group that large.  Eight land otters came to our island until they realized we were there.  A few bugs. A quiet sunny evening. There is very little ice in this end of the bay. Heard a pack of coyotes yipping.  This campsite could work in tides up to 13 feet.

7/17 - Low of 45 last night.  Crows were active on the island when we arrived but they moved to a nearby island later but were still very noisy.  There are 4 large white  3” eggs here that are probably Bald Eagle eggs.  They are pecked open, maybe from the chicks hatching.  The gulls and oystercatchers are also very noisy here.  It was a clear night and cloudless day.  A light breeze too.  We got water from a stream near camp. The channel at the north end of Heather Island was shallow at low tide when we went through.  Paddled along the coast northward to the most scenic campsite in the Sound.  There are lots of beaches along the way but many are rocky and not good for landing. Our high campsite is next to the Great Nunatak.  There is lots of ice but it did not impede our paddling. Saw lots of sea otters and seals all day. The camp site has two streams and can be accessed from the north or south. There is space for multiple tents.  A beautiful evening watching the ice and listening to the calving glacier.  Surprisingly two jet skis went to the glacier. Stunning views of ice floating in the bay and the distant glacier. We are concerned about surges from calving so we carried our boats very high, putting the boats high above any surge. My boat went up the alluvial fan as high as our tent.  That was too much work so Jean’s boat went into the gully on our island.

7/18 - Low of 49.  Cloudy night and day.  Lots of warm sunny breaks. Day paddled the two arms to see both glacial complexes.  Eight hours of paddling 18 miles with three short breaks. Easily found routes through the ice and there was lots of ice. The eastern complex is the widest ice face I've ever seen.  It forms a long broad arc.  We heard the glacier rumbling but we did not see any calving.  Very spectacular.  There were just a few sea otters and ducks among the ice. Surprisingly no seals. Saw six motorboats and no kayaks all day.  We took a break on a sandy beach every one to two hours. There was a little light breeze but it was still quite cold. The western complex Is less interesting and smaller. It had more rumbling though. We got back to our beach at 7:30 and a goat was there.  It was cautious but went about its business of eating vegetation.  We were beat. Just a late supper and then to bed. Hauled the boats into the ravine. Some fireweed is blooming.  A few gnats and mosquitoes.

7/19 - Low of 45 last night.  Cloudy morning with a light breeze.  It was a long haul to get the gear and boats to the beach. Paddled to Elf Point in over four hours.  Saw two double kayaks on the other side of the bay. Checked out the campsites at the end of Heather Island and the island across from there where we’ve camped previously. They are now uncampable.  The southern end of Heather Island is posted no trespassing. That is new. Saw lots of sea otters with pups.  Also began seeing birds at Heather Island. There were few birds north of there. There were a few icebergs as far as Heather Island. We had some welcome warm sunshine in the evening. The north side of Elf has the best landing beach.  And there is camping on the beach. The south side has camping in the woods. There is no water here.  High tide of 12’ today.

7/20 - A low of 49 last night.  Cloudy with a light breeze. Left Elf Point on calm seas.  Fishing boats lined the coast from Elf to past Point Freemantle.  Lots of sea otters, Some sea lions, including a huge one that exploded behind my boat and splashed Jean. Lots of salmon are jumping. Took a break at the beach 3 miles south of 17 mile beach. It would be campable in these 13 foot high tides.  There was a huge kayak group at 17 mile beach so we went to Sawmill Bay.  Stayed on the big beach just outside of the bay. It has one high tent site. It will be fine on this 14 foot tide.  Went into the bay to get water. Checked out the campsite showing on the Trails Illustrated map.  It is a high grassy area.  Not the kind of place we like to camp. Met a paddle border on an island in Sawmill Bay, which may be an okay campsite. She is paddling to the Columbia glacier. Tomorrow will be our first rainy day on the trip.  High tide of 13’ today. 

7/21 -   Very low clouds and 55 in the morning.  Drizzle started in the morning with rain forecast for later so we took a day off.  We've paddled for seven days and this is a good rest day. The beach has one good high spot for a tent and is protected from the southerly winds.  We slept in and had a late breakfast. Paddled to the salmon stream on the west side of Sawmill Bay to get water.  Schools of salmon were in the stream and only a few had died.  Three bald eagles were flying around. Saw a kingfisher. Salmon were jumping in front of the bay. A tanker sailed north at suppertime.

7/22 - A low of 50 last night.  Cloudy morning with a little mist. A sea lion was fishing in our cove and caught a salmon.  Left on calm seas. The paddle boarder staying in the bay left ahead of us.  Lots of sea otters with pups.  The sea lions were actively fishing especially across from Shoup Bay.  A light breeze was in the Narrows. Saw an oil tanker going into the port and another one leaving. Tailwinds and following seas began in Port Valdez. The waves were running against the tide making 2 to 3 foot following seas which were uncomfortable. Got to the Valdez kayak beach okay. The warming sun came out in the evening.  Stayed at the Bear Paw campground.  Paddle 110 miles including the long day paddle.

 Chenega Village to Whittier - July 2020

7/4 - Jean and I decided to take the State ferry to Chenega Village this year.  We’ve started from there twice and had memorable trips.  The campsites I mention in this trip report can be downloaded in GPX format for loading into a GPS from the paddlingmaps.com website.  We left Anchorage at 6:30 in the morning to catch the 7:30 tunnel opening.  We arrived at 7:30 just as the tunnel opened. We checked in at the ferry terminal. We got to drive the car onto the ferry and unload the boats and gear. We settled in for smooth sailing under sunny skies.  At our 9:30 departure time a delay was announced. We received similar announcements over the next seven hours until we finally left at 4:30. Because of the long delay we were given free lunch and dinner which was very good.  We arrived at Chenega Village under cloudy skies and a 10 knot southerly wind at 9:30.  We carry the boats off the ferry. A baggage cart carried off our gear. The beach south of the boat ramp is washed away so we had to launch from the boat ramp.  We waited until 11:30 when the tide finally was at 11 feet which is the minimum to launch from that ramp.  We paddled north for half an hour to Johnson Cove and a nice high beach.  We finally got into the tent at 1:00.  The high tide was 14’ today.

7/5 - There was a low tide at 8 AM so we slept in knowing we couldn’t leave until much later.  We had a relaxing morning with overcast skies and a light breeze.  We watched orcas in Sawmill Bay as we loaded the boats.  We left at 12:30. We paddled to Bettles Island and along the east side of Evans Island and headed south. There was a light wind and clouds. The tide was running against us at one knot.  We paddle down Elrington Passage and turned west.  There are beaches along the way for breaks.  On one beach a hummingbird zoomed by. The southwest facing beaches are cobble.  The swells from the Gulf of Alaska would make landing difficult there.  We paddled to Squirrel Bay to a long sandy beach.  Saw seals, otters, sea lions and bull kelp along the way.  We are camping on a gravel pad behind the grasses to keep out of the sand.  We try to avoid sand since it gets into everything.  Calm overcast evening.  The high tide was 14’ today.

7/6 - Waited until 12:30 to launch because of the late minus tide.  There was a swell of 1 to 2 feet.  A light breeze and cloudy.  Crossed Prince of Wales Passage to Bainbridge Island and paddled along the southern coast then crossed a mile offshore to the Procession Rocks.  Saw sea lions, puffins, cormorants, and gulls on the rocks.  The sea lions were vocal and fun to see. We continued along the south coast. A sea lion followed us for a short way.  Saw a fin whale as we paddle along the southern coast of Bainbridge Island.  It sounded four times as we paddled by. Had lunch on a sandy beach on the south side of Swanson Bay.  This could be a possible campsite in a low tide series but is is not very desirable.  Continued to a nice campsite on the southern entrance to Hogg Bay. The evening was sunny (finally) with a breeze to keep the bugs down. We had black flies and a few mosquitoes at all our campsites.   As a bonus, there is a stream here. Saw one motorboat, no kayakers, and lots of bull kelp.   The high tide was 14’ today.

7/7 -  Saw whales in Port Bainbridge last night.  Sunny day. Wind and seas increased until evening when it calmed down. Crossed to the mainland and went to the Bainbridge glacier.  Saw sea otters on the crossing.  Camping is available there. We took a short break on the beach. There were bear tracks on the beach. Icebergs are coming down the stream from the glacier. The glacier is no longer tidewater.   We heard it calving yesterday and the face shows recent calving.  The next cove to the north of the glacier has a long beach with places to camp.  We saw bear tracks on that beach.  We had planned to cross to a previous campsite on the other side of the passage but the seas were too rough for the 3 mile crossing.  We found a nice sandy beach at the north end of the cove. The sun and protected camping tempted us to stay.  Later as we relaxed in the sun a small black bear came out of the grass across the way. There was a slough between us and the black bear.  We made noise but it ignored us and ambled off.  We need to be more of bear aware tonight.  About 9:30 I heard a twig break behind me while we were reading on the beach which also was our cook site.  There was a bear 30 feet away standing there watching us.  We yelling but it did not move. We threw rocks also with little effect.  He came out on the beach and a rock sprayed his face with sand and he left.  We could not stay the night with a bear that had no fear of us.  Rain was expected tomorrow and we had hoped to take a rain day on this beach.  That would not be possible with this bear. We packed up and started crossing the passage to a campsite we had previously used. We started the 3 mile crossing into low visibility on a compass heading at 11:30.  The seas had quieted and we had a smooth crossing.  The campsite was rocky but we made it work setting up the tent and tarp in preparation for tomorrow's rain.  We turned in about 1 AM.  High tide of 13.5’ today.

7/8 - Rain began at 6 AM.  We finally got up at noon to eat and stretch. A black bear came on our beach and ran off as soon as it saw me. Good, the kind or reaction I like to see from a bear. Rain ended in the evening. Saw sea otters all day. Saw several whales at night.  

7/9 - Sunny morning.  Got a 9:15 start to catch the flood tide through Bainbridge Channel.  The sun turned into clouds as we paddled into the channel and rain began shortly thereafter. Got to a maximum speed of 6.5 mph in the channel. The camp site on the Trails Illustrated map in the channel looks okay from the boat but it was too rocky to land at a -0.8 tide.  We saw many red and yellow starfish, the first in many years. Also have seen several species of jellyfish the past few days. Paddled in the rain to Point Countess where we camped before.  The sun came out shortly before we arrived.  We laid out our gear to dry.  This is a scenic site with the good landing beach, a tent site, and stream.  We've seen salmon jumping all day, several sea otters, four land otters, and several sea lions.  No kayakers.  Great to have a dry sunny afternoon and evening.  High tide of 12’ today.

7/10 - Heard whales during the night. Cloudy calm day.  As we left five kayakers came around the nearby point.  We chatted a while with them. They had chartered out and are base camping at Dual Head.  We paddled across to Chenega Island then on to Jackpot Point where we had camped before.  It has a good landing beach but would be tight in a high tide range.  There is a small flat spot for a tent.  Good views. The sun came out after we landed. Saw sea otters and sea lions today.  Ice was marching out in the main channel between southern Chenega Island and the mainland.  High tide of 11’ today.

7/11 - This morning is cloudy and calm.  As we were sitting around in the morning we got a few sprinkles.  By the time we got the tarp set up it was raining. The rain stopped in an hour. The beaches have had blackflies all trip. We have a hummingbird feeder and it has attracted the birds but they don't stay around.  While paddling we saw two small black bear cubs on a beach as they were going into the woods. We paddled to the reefs at the top of Chenega Island.  We checked out a camp site nearby which we have used before. This camp site at the top of Chenega Island is no longer useful.  We paddled through the reef and there were lots of seals and sea otters. The seas became rougher with 2’ following seas.  It took a lot of concentration to reach the beach at Point Nowell.  The beach is protected from the seas and we had an easy landing.  No one was there when we arrived and we had the place to ourselves all evening. The sun came out for a few hours. No kayaks or whales today. There were more sprinkles around supper time.  High tide of 10’ today.

7/12 - Wind decreased and the seas fell by morning.  The clouds threatened rain so we got an early start to take advantage of the calm and dry. After an hour of paddling we stop to get water at a stream across from Crafton Island. The seas picked up to 2 feet but it was easy going with following swells. We had lunch at Egg Island.  Did not see any oystercatchers there this year. We named the island Egg because we’ve seen oystercatcher eggs on the beach each time we’ve stopped.  Saw a few sea otters and seals and a sea lion followed us for a ways. Tomorrow morning is a fishing opener so commercial boats are lining the shore getting ready to fish.  From Egg Island we paddled to Lighthouse Point. The seas looked okay and we crossed in 45 minutes with following seas, tide, and a breeze to Applegate Island.  No one was at this huge campsite. It was still cloudy and threatening rain. Two jet skis zoomed through our bay and left, quite a jarring sound.  High tide of 10’ today.

7/13 - There was rain and wind last night.  Applegate can be a very windy site. One time a friend’s tent blew down here. Found a dry spot on the beach for breakfast and then the rain started before we finished.  Two doubles with three people paddled past our camp going south. We packed the kayaks during a pause in the showers.  As we left Epic Charters pulled in with four kayaks. The paddlers probably are base camping because they have a dog. We paddled up Colross Passage as the weather changed from cloudy to sunny to rain to calm to windy.  We saw no animals except for eagles. We got rained out of our first lunch stop. At the top of Colross we paddled through a flotilla of working commercial fishing boats.  The crossing of Cochran Bay was calm but rainy. We saw porpoises as we crossed. The rain stopped by the time we landed at Surprise Cove.   Since I was last here they added a toilet, bear resistant locker, and a boardwalk to 3 platform tent sites.  There are four beach campsites also. Someone left a bunch of trash in the fire pit. Other campsites on the trip have had no trash.  No one else is here tonight.  High tide of 10’ today.

7/14 - Calm cool night.  There was sun on the beach by 9:30.  At Point Cochran we saw an old eagle’s nest and nearby was an active nest with an adult eagle.  Calm seas and a light wind as we paddled to Decision Point.  No one was at Decision Point when we landed.  Sunny warm day and the light breeze.  I saw a small brown starfish on the beach and put it in a tide pool to try to save it.  Its chances seemed poor. Two Hobie cat style trimarans with two couples and camping gear landed.  They are on a guided tour and continuing into Blackstone Bay tomorrow. They gave us two big pieces of bacon wrapped halibut.  Very yummy.  This is the first time we’ve seen this style of camping.  We also saw two groups of jet skis.  A company in Whittier has started jet ski tours.  A double kayak from Whittier landed and they stayed overnight.  Two single kayaks also from Whittier landed. The seas and east wind have been increasing all afternoon and the kayakers are taking a break before crossing to Pickett Point.  The seas and wind began to lay at bedtime.  High tide is 11’ today.

7/15 - Calm sunny morning.  We left the beach at 9:45 and got to Whittier 2 1/2 hours later with the light following breeze. It was so warm that I wore my sun shirt and no spray skirt for the paddle. We packed up and just caught the 1 p.m. tunnel. An uneventful drive home. We paddled 140 miles. The trip was so cheap, $164 for the ferry for both of us, our boats and gear plus $92 to park the car.

Blackstone Bay - Labor Day 2018

9/1 - Jean and I caught the opening for 10:30 tunnel to Whittier.  Several sunny days are forecast at the end of the cloudy rainy summer and we want to make the most of them. We haven't been to Blackstone Bay in ages and plan to check it out. We depart at the Lazy Otter parking lot and launched from their beach.  It was calm and sunny all the way to Decision Point.  Here we saw our first paddlers camping. We took a break then headed for the beach in front of Tebenkof glacier.  The west side of the beach has a gravel island that is fine for camping in the 11 foot tide range we have today.  Most of the huge beach in front of the glacier is marshland. Crossing to the glacier was calm with 1 foot seas, the highest of the day.  Salmon are spawing in the streams nearby so there are many dead and dying salmon.  The salmon added to the smells of the marshland.  Before sundown we saw a black bear feeding in the slough nearby.  This place is also alive with birds, especially gulls but surprisingly no eagles.  Only a few gnats.  With so many fish I doubt the bear will bother us tonight. There is no place to hang food tonight.

9/2 - It was a cool clear night. Since there was nowhere to hang the food, I buried the dry bag with the food so the bear could not see it.  The black bear patroled the stream all morning and ignored us.  The stream is full of dead and dying salmon. The beach goes out along way at low tide but it is good frim footing. A breeze from the south came up and stayed all day. It was sunny and we paddled into 1 to 2 foot seas. Camped at the beach in front of the Lawrence glacier. A nice and high beach but a rocky landing.  We set up camp and paddled to the Beloit glacier. The wind increased as we approached. It was windy and cold in fromt of the glacier and it was was not calving.  There was a lot of ice in the bay so it must be active. Sure enough, shortly after we left it calved.  Our luck. Saw two seals all day. No eagles in spite of all the salmon. Saw two groups all day. One group of 4 kayaks and a second group with 2 sailing kayaks. There are three places to camp here about 100 yards apart. When we arrived, a water taxi was picking up a group on one beach and a small group was camped on another beach but I don't see any boats.  A good workout today. Pleasant evening.  A few gnats.

9/3 - A cool night.  Forty-five in the tent but clear and calm.  The sun got to our beach by 9:00 but it was still cool.  This is a busy place. This morning a water taxi dropped off a group and picked up another group.  We got going about noon and paddled to the south end of Willard Island then to the western side of the bay and on to Decision point.  It was sunny and calm but cool. Didn't see any paddlers. There were ample beaches to take breaks on. On the crossing from Willard Island we saw a black bear swimming to the mainland.  It looked like a medium-size bear based on the amount of its back that was out of the water.  When it got to the shore it was huge.  It did not shake off the water.  When it heard us, it looked back at us, huffed, and headed into the woods and up the steep hillside crashing through the brush. Later we saw a seal. So far very few animals or otters.  We saw an eagle, the second of the trip, that was also surprising considering all the dead salmon around. Saw one jellyfish and no starfish. No one was camping at Decision Point.  This is Labor Day, so most people need to be at work tomorrow.  We watched a seal catch a fish in front of our camp and eat it by shaking it apart.  Cool clear calm evening.  We haven't been to Decision Bay in ages and I've forgotten how beautiful the ring of glaciers is at the end of the bay. A beautiful place but too crowded in the summer because it is so close to Whittier.

9/4 - The next day was clear and we had a following sea into Whittier except for the last 10 minutes when a strong headwind began.  The wind continued and grew in strength and I was glad we were off the water.  While paddling we saw two sea lions, eagles, and an eagles nest near the camp site at Trinity Point.  It was a great way to end the paddling season in the Sound.

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College Fiord - July 2018

July 20 - Jean and I drove to the Whittier Tunnel in an hour from midtown Anchorage.  There were low clouds and fog along Turnagain arm and the temperatures were in the mid-50s.  Checked in with Lazy Otter water taxi for our 11:30 charter to black sand beach at the head of Barry Arm.  This was a favorite campsite because it had a great sandy landing beach and it was next to 3 active tidewater glaciers.  We got a ride share for $122 dollars each plus $48 a week for parking at the Lazy Otter parking lot.  The water taxi had three other paddlers going to Harriman Fiord plus lots of people riding the boat for the day. Got to black sand beach in 1 1/2 hours. Passed lots of sea otters, some floating in rafts.  We were warned that the beach had change a lot.  A glacial lake had emptied and washed over the beach removing most of the sand.   The beach is no longer campable plus it is in danger of other breakouts from the glacier lake.  Most surprisingly was how much the three glaciers had receded.  Two were mostly on land and the third has receded over a mile up its fiord.  The place was not recognizable anymore from when we were last here a decade ago.  Another great campsite lost.  We paddled to a campsite at Pakenham Point.  This site has good views down Port Wells and up into College Fiord where we are going next.   We started the trip on the series of rising tides in the low tide range. Campsites are easier to find in this tide range.

July 21 - Clear calm day.  Fifteen-mile paddle to a campsite south of Wellesley glacier lagoon.  We've camped at the lagoon on both the north and south sides and neither of those sites are very good. There were lots of good landing beaches from Pakenham Point to Rusty point.  There are few beaches north of Rusty point.  Biting gnats came out at this campsite when the sun went behind the ridge.  Saw no other paddlers today. Loud booms are coming from the end of the fjord.  Saw a doe on the beach and two land otters. No boats on our side of the fiord today.  Hard to find a place to hang food tonight.

July 22 - Got to a low of 40° last night.  Clear calm day. Paddled to the Harvard glacier.  It was very active with a lot of icebergs but no seals.  Bryn Meyer and Smith glaciers are still tidewater glaciers with a little calving.  Paddled to Yale glacier which was quiet but it had bigger icebergs out in front with seals on them.  Camped in the Yale fjord.  Sunny evening but when the sun went behind the mountains, the black flies came out.  No place to hang food tonight. No kayaks. One motorboat today. Long paddle day of eight hours.  There were beaches every few hours for breaks. Camping would be difficult in a high tide range. Three swans landed near us while paddling.

July 23 - Partly sunny morning.  Mostly cloudy day with calm winds and seas. The glaciers were active beginning in early morning. The fiord was ice choked when we got up and we paddled through table-sized bergs for two hours.  Lots of otters with pups along this coast. Paddled fifteen miles in six hours to a nondescript beach that is campable in a low tide range.  It is 2 miles north of Coghill bay. Lots of beaches to take breaks on but most would require camping in the grasses at the top of the beach. Great views of the glaciers all day. Some biting gnats on this beach.  Can still hear the rumbling of the distant glaciers even at our campsite. Some sprinkles this evening. No paddlers and no motorboats.

July 24 - Cloudy and calm all day.  It's much cooler without the sun. Paddled to the north end of an island north of Esther passage.  It is a long spit with good views to the north. Not many bugs here. Haven't seen salmon jumping.  Usually salmon are running in Coghill bay with lots of seals, sea lions, and eagles around.  This year the salmon returns were very poor and there are no animals around Coghill bay. Also because there are no salmon, there are not any people fishing. We did see several motorboats today and no paddlers. Showers started off and on by late afternoon. The evening was still. The only animals we're seeing are otters with pups and seabirds.  Saw the first jellyfish of the trip. Some years there are lots of jellyfish and others years very few. Still haven't seen any starfish, which was disturbing. Saw almost no starfish when I was in the Sound two years ago.  There used to be lots of starfish but the starfish wasting disease maybe killing them off. First starfish and now salmon. The Sound is changing.

July 25 - Today we took a weather day. Drizzle started last night and continued with light rain through the day. Ten to 15-knot winds all day and into the evening.  The tent is on a high point well above high tide but takes the brunt of the wind.  It is breezy in the tent with mesh walls but it works better than solid tent walls, which rain condensation inside.  There is a quiet place for the tarp behind the ridge. We had a late breakfast and then dinner. Gathered water from the tarp so we didn't need to paddle to a nearby stream for water.  There is no stream at this tent site.  We were inside most of the day so we didn't see any boats or kayaks.

July 26 - Rain and blowing mist during the night.  Precipitation stopped in the morning.  We had a leisurely breakfast and packed up.  Mist started as we finish packing and rain began shortly thereafter.  We paddled in mist or rain to a protected site inside the entrance to Esther passage.  A short 4-mile paddle but it felt good to get out of the tent.  We set up the tent under the tarp to keep it dry. It was misty or raining off and on all evening and night.  It was mostly calm. This site is good for one tent.  No kayaks today. Saw some motorboats.  Not many bugs.

July 27 - Mist stop by 8 AM and we had breakfast and packed before it began again.  A 4 1/2 hour paddle through Esther passage to East Flank Island, a favorite campsite.  Mist or light rain during the paddle.  No seals or otters in the passage but saw a black bear on a beach.  It was dry when we landed and we dried out our gear and enjoyed sitting outside. A few otters and seals were nearby.  No kayaks. Some motorboats. No jumping salmon.  Cloudy all day.

July 28 - Showers last night.  Not many bugs.  Light easterly breeze last night and this morning. Cloudy today.  Paddled along the southern side of Esther Island to Esther Point then paddle to Colross Point then to the northern entrance to Colross Passage.  Showers then rain began halfway through our paddle and continued all evening. Checked a possible campsite on the western Island in Colross bay.  Tonight’s site is a north-facing beach on the western entrance to Colross Passage.  It has logs on the beach and doesn't look good but behind the logs are several large flat gravel areas and a stream.  A great high site but it has northern exposure.  The downside is all the traffic and Colross Passage. Lots of healthy skunk cabbage here.  Saw several sea lions plus land and sea otters today.  Seen land otters 4 times on this trip. Still no sea stars.  No paddlers. Lots of motorboats.

July 29 - Heavy mist all night with dripping from the trees on the tent and tarp.  It stopped about 10 AM and we started getting up. Got packed dry and left the beach shortly after mist began falling.  Calm seas across Cochrane Bay.  Saw a few otters.  Saw the first kayaks of the trip at the crossing to Blackstone Bay.  Light wind and seas crossing Blackstone Bay.  Decision Point was occupied by a NOLS group.  There was no room so we continued to Squirrel Cove where we got a platform.   The camping beach there is overgrown with high grass. There are four platforms and a cabin here plus a bear proof container.  A group of 15 scouts arrived but couldn't find room and left. A quiet evening except for the water dripping from the trees.

July 30 - It was misty but calm all night on the platform in the forest.  The trees collected the mist and dripped on the tent and tarp all night long.  The dripping tapered off in the morning and the sun started to become visible through the clouds.  We had breakfast on the picnic table on the beach near the food storage box.  The clouds cleared over Passage Canal and we had a dry sunny warm breakfast on the beach.  We broke down our wet camp and packed the boats.  It was a minus tide so it was a long haul to get the boats and gear to the water.  Saw the only starfish of the trip while loading.  We had a calm warm and dry paddle back to Whittier.  Lots of paddlers were going both ways in Passage Canal.  We landed at the Lazy Otter Beach and unloaded.  I got my key from Kelly at the cafe and we loaded the car.  We were very happy to end the trip with a dry paddle.

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