Taking the Slow Boat

Alaska! Just the word creates images of blue-green glacial ice and crystal clear water. Alaska evokes images of bears salmon fishing along pristine shorelines, rustic fishing villages carved out of the wilderness, secluded hot spring baths, and countless spectacular towering waterfalls. Then there are the whales, the gentle giants whose grace and majesty you can only truly appreciate by observing them in their natural habitat.

And then there is the unique smell of Alaska's waters. The air is so clean and so fresh that it is actually palatable. After breathing the clear air for a few days, any intrusion into the rarified atmosphere is immediately sensed.

Recently, I experienced Alaska as very few people have or ever will, not because it is difficult or more expensive than the common alternatives but because few are aware of the opportunity to do so. In early June I had the opportunity to explore the coastline, inlets, and fjords of Southeast Alaska for 10 days aboard a converted 62-foot commercial fishing boat, the Home Shore.

Owner Jim Kyle, former commercial fisherman and captain of the authentic 44-year old wooden vessel, modified his boat to provide comfortable accommodations for vacationers seeking a close, tactile experience with Alaska. The Home Shore accommodates a maximum of six adventuresome travelers willing to forego the traditional cruise liner amenities of soaking in swimming pools, visiting onboard pedicure salons, or foraging in the dining rooms night and day.

Captain Kyle's care for maintaining the authenticity of the boat's original design is apparent as you first approach it from dockside. Once on board you quickly gain a sense for what it must have been like to live and work in spaces designed to provide multifunctional efficiency. At the same time, you have to appreciate the quality of workmanship Kyle and his family, most notably his son and first mate Ben, exercised in converting their boat to a comfortable, cozy base for exploring Alaska's waters.

Alaska on the Home Shore cruises begin and end at the docks in Sitka, AK. Sitka is a thriving town with a number of onshore attractions to warrant several days' exploration. By not providing the expansive docks required by the cruise lines, tourism does not dominate Sitka's economy or character. As a tourist destination, Sitka's best attractions are its adherence to its historical roots and its loyalty to remaining an active commercial fishing port.

After settling aboard the Home Shore and meeting my fellow adventurers, I wanted to explore our new surroundings. For most, going up the narrow spiral staircase from the main level to the pilot house will be the first adventure. While it was easy to ascend the stairs while the boat was tied steady to the dock, I wondered how I'd manage the feat when the boat was moving. Yet, by the end of the cruise, I not only could easily climb to the pilot house but also with one or two cups of coffee in hand and without spillin a drop! At the rear of the pilot house I found a door opening to the upper deck, one of several great locations for sightseeing and the one that became my favorite location for photography.

The pilot house offers an enclosed (read warm and dry during inclement weather) vantage point from which you have an almost unobstructed 360-degree view. The authentic, large, spindled oak wheel that provides the steering dominates the interior with its otherwise modern hardware and electronics, including GPS and satellite phone. Later that day after we were in open water, I couldn't resist asking to "take the wheel." Under the close supervision of Captain Kyle, I discovered how it felt to steer a 51-ton boat. While it's not like driving an agile ski boat, I found it to be quite responsive to subtle movements of the big wheel.

Back on the main level is the galley (kitchen) in which gourmet quality meals are prepared. Lest you think that a small galley implies unappetizing and skimpy meals, a description of one of our dinners should squelch such fears. Gathered around the dining table prior to the entree being served, we nibbled on a loaf of crusty golden French bread while enjoying a glass of premium Merlot. The entree consisted of fresh vegetables lightly sautéed in lemon butter atop a grilled filet of freshly-caught salmon with a side of herb-flavored spaghetti squash embellished with spears of steamed fresh asparagus. For those of us who still had room, we were served a slice of homemade pie bursting with the tart flavors of strawberries and rhubarb.

The dining area adjoining the galley also serves as the primary gathering place for conversation and reading from the library of books on what else but Alaska. Just forward of the galley-dining area is the head (bathroom and shower) for the two crew members and one or two guests who choose the fo'c'sle, the berth area below the main deck, for their accommodations. Captain Kyle has separate quarters nearer the pilot house. The fo'c'sle was previously occupied by the crew when the boat was used for commercial fishing. It has since been spruced up and made homier with fresh paint, privacy curtains, and a reading light for each berth.

Back on the main deck, you exit the galley and dining area towards the rear of the boat onto open deck space. Formerly, this was the working area where fish were hauled on board in large nets. Now it is a place to unfold your lounge chair for reading or just enjoying the passing coastline. It also is where either Ben or Captain Kyle may grill the king salmon you caught earlier in the day.

Beginning with the 2003 season, the Home Shore will have two new staterooms for four guests located on the back portion of the main deck. These staterooms will offer individual seating areas and share a common shower and toilet facility. On the roof of these staterooms will be another vantage point for photography, eagle and whale watching, and viewing passing cargo barges and fiery sunsets.

On the evening of our first day, not far north of Sitka, Captain Kyle asked if we wanted to photograph a sunset. Who doesn't like sunsets? With an affirmative response from all, he made a slight detour off our course to set us up several minutes later for the most spectacular sunset of the trip. Unlike in the Lower 48 where the critical time to photograph a sunset lasts one to five minutes, in Alaska the critical light for photographing a sunset can last for 10 to 15 minutes. But I didn't know that then. Consequently, I was on my third roll of film before I realized I had probably "gotten it." So I put the camera down and just enjoyed the remainder of the spectacle. What a great way to start an adventure!

This event helps illustrate one of the several advantages of small group touring. The tour leader, our captain, usually has extensive knowledge of the area that can only be gained from many years of first hand experience. Captain Kyle accumulated approximately 41 years' experience in these Alaskan waters during his commercial fishing career and we, his guests, were the benefactors.

Of course we all wanted to see a glacier up close. There are several locations in Southeast Alaska that offer views of glaciers. Sawyer Glacier, about 45 miles south of Juneau, is located at the terminus of the Tracy Arm fjord and possibly provides the best opportunity for close up viewing. One of many glaciers that is fed by the Juneau ice field, Sawyer Glacier produces some of the area's largest icebergs.

To reach the glacier, we traveled approximately 26 miles through the winding canal that earlier glacier activity created when carving out the fjord. The sides of the fjord are bordered by smooth sheer granite walls that rise straight up from the water's surface to between 2,000 and 4,000 feet overhead, providing towering launching points for numerous waterfalls to cascade.

The Home Shore approached the face of the glacier slowly, carefully maneuvering through the ice field to within approximately 100 yards of the glacier. Achieving an optimal viewing position, our captain turned off the engine. Insulated by the surrounded granite walls and with no other human activity within miles, I then discovered what is meant when someone describes a quiet as being a "deafening stillness."

We were standing on the forward deck of the Home Shore about six feet above water level. Everyone, without exception, just stared in awe at the beauty of the immense glacier and the ice field extending before it for what seem liked minutes but was probably only seconds. Then an excited babble broke out as we four explorers were talking all at once, each describing the very same scene before us all. When I glanced back up to the pilot house where our captain remained I noticed the humorous look on his face as he observed us Alaskan pilgrims.

Because the weather forecast for the following morning was more favorable, we chose to spend the night anchored in a small protected area back up the channel and to return the following day. Good decision! The weather the next morning was almost ideal. The sun backlit the glacier, passing light though the densely packed, airless pure ice to create the aqua-blue colors only found in glaciers. Everyone got their cameras, still and video, ready to record the anticipated calving of ice off the glacier face. Unfortunately, calving is not one of the prescheduled events and we had a bit of a wait. But when it happened, the sound of the house-sized mass of ice cracking away from the glacier's face, its slide down several hundred feet, and its thundering plunge into the sea echoed off of the surrounding mountain walls adding a magnificent and unexpected chorus to our stunningly visual experience.

After that you might think what else was there to look forward to? That's when we unloaded the kayaks and spent a couple hours exploring amongst the ice floes. For a short time we were treated to a mother harbor seal and her pup playing within the ice field, apparently unconcerned with our presence. While it was exciting enough to view the multi-sculptured blocks of ice standing on the boat's deck six feet above the water; it is quite humbling to be beside them at water level in a kayak. Then, even relatively small ice chunks take on iceberg proportions.

We had the area to ourselves both days for the many hours we were there. However, as we were departing back up to the entrance of Tracy Arm, we were passed by an excursion boat that was, by comparison, racing to get its tourists to the face of the glacier for their one hour viewing. A couple of hours later as we reached the fjord entrance, we were again passed by the boat. This time it was racing to get back to Juneau before nightfall. There is something to be said about taking the slow boat, to wherever you go.

Carried on board is an outboard skiff (boat) and several one and two person sea kayaks. Ben is a very accomplished kayaker and will teach anyone who wants to learn the fundamentals. During the course of our adventure we made several other explorations along the shoreline and to land using the boats. Most memorable of the shore visits was to the White Sulfur Hot Springs and an abandoned gold mining camp.

To reach the hot springs, located within the West Chichagof-Yakobi Island Wilderness Area, we were ferried in the skiff to shore from where we then trekked about a mile through the lush Alaskan forest to the springs. Soaking in a hot spring pool is always nice. However, soaking in a hot spring pool looking out over the rich green Alaskan coastline with towering snow-capped mountain crags in the background is an experience you hold forever!

The mining camp we explored on Chichigof Island extends about two football fields in area, and the structures on the shoreline were easily accessible. As we moved inland off the beach of sand and polished stones, it was interesting to see the effects of Mother Nature's long-term efforts to reclaim the camp. She'd pried open cupboards, peeled away flooring, and had a hand in the overgrowth of vines and scrub growth on most structures. The effect added a primitive artistic flavor to each structure we visited. The equipment the miners abandoned not only added to this flavor but also provided some insight into how the camp functioned.

It seemed that every day offered a distinctive and memorable experience. The afternoon we spent with the whales was very special. There are no guarantees where you will find whales or if they will perform their acrobatic pirouettes. However, our captain correctly predicted that we would find them in a nearby semi-protected bay. We found two gray whales feeding about 100 yards off the shoreline and within easy viewing distance. Our captain held the Home Shore in the center of the cove while the whales' feeding activity caused them to circle around our position. We observed one whale lying on its side while it flapped its fluke on the water's surface as it moved in a tight circle causing the excited fish below to swim into a compact boil or ball. Then, the whale dove under the ball of fish to surface within their midst with its gigantic mouth wide open, entraining hundreds of morsels in just a few moments. I couldn't help reflect there are no checkout lines in the ocean!

Of the several ports we put into for fresh supplies, Pelican stands out as being the most colorful and in keeping with the off the beaten track tradition of my Home Shore adventure. Pelican is a tiny (0.6 square mile) fishing village approximately 70 miles north of Sitka and situated on tidal flats along the banks of the Lisianksi Inlet in the northwest corner of Chichigof Island. Pelican is as authentic as it gets. The village is remote enough to be off the route of even the regional excursion boats. Therefore it continues to offer rare insight into the lifestyle of people living in the more remote areas of this most unusual state. This is no tourist haven! In fact, Pelican's harbor is dominated by a fish processing plant and commercial fishing docks. Everyone's activity, except possibly the postmaster's, is dependent on the commercial fishing trade.

Part of Pelican's unique charm is the manner in which its buildings are constructed on the elevated waterfront boardwalk, which stands on pilings driven into the shoreline twenty feet below. To reach Pelican, people travel on the Alaska Marine Highway ferries or charter a float plane. The moderate year-round climate, a high of 62 in the summer and a low of 21 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, is unexpected for its location.

The visit to Pelican highlights one advantage of small group excursions such as I experienced with the Alaska on the Home Shore cruise. This unorthodox adventure with forays into the crannies of our largest state could only have been experienced by being on a relatively small cruise boat guided by a captain with years of local knowledge. Additionally, the small number of passengers provided almost one to one information access to your tour leader and assistants. While there was a general schedule for the 10 days, it is always open for modification to take advantage of the ever changing climate, availability of wildlife and sea life, or our desire to make onshore explorations. Because the boat anchored at night we didn't miss any of those great "ooh" and "ahh" opportunities.

Tourists wishing to experience coastal Alaska have other similarly priced options, each offering varying degrees of intimate contact with the state's culture and its wilderness. One option is to travel on the traditional thousand-passenger cruise liners, which often include a run up the Inside Passage as part of their package. The biggest drawback with viewing the Alaskan coastline on cruise ships is that far too much of the passage occurs during the hours when you are eating, sleeping, or taking advantage of the ship's other amenities. Also, the size of these ships prevent their deviating from the traditional routes, and schedules can not be significantly altered to take advantage of rare viewing opportunities.

A compromise option is to book a trip on one of the many mini-excursion vessels that provide trips of one to several days. On these excursions there are generally between 20 and 40 passengers, and the knowledgeable operators provide more direct exposure to and insight into the Alaskan environment than that provided by the cruise liners.

At the end of my travels on the Home Shore, I extended my Alaskan adventure by booking passage from Sitka down the Inside Passage to Bellingham, Washington on an Alaska Marine Highway ferry. This form of travel offers another insight into living in Alaska as the AMH is the water taxi for the state and provides travel and freight service where airlines do not. For additional pictures of my adventure on the Home Shore visit www.GreatDestinationPhotos.com and click on Alaska. To read about my travel experience on an AMH ferry, visit www.JustSayGo.com and click on Destinations.

Resources:

Alaska on the Home Shore
http://www.homeshore.com
or call 1-800-287-7063 (01)

Alaska, general tourist information
http://www.alaskavisitorsinformation.com

Sitka, Alaska
http://www.sitka.org

Pelican, Alaska
http://www.pelican.net

Alaska Airlines
http://www.alaskaair.com

Alaska Marine Highway
www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs

Alaska Travelers Accommodations
www.AlaskaTravelers.com

Guided Alaskan Photo Treks
www.GreatDestinationPhotos.com

Story and photos copyright by Larry Padgett, 2000.