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Part 2: The pristine landscape and relative solitude always make us feel like we’re in God’s great cathedral.
By Nancy and Bill Shaddix
as told to Rachel Dickinson — Fall
2004
On the water, we love the breathtaking scenery and wildlife. At one point we watched about a dozen whales bubble-net—blow a mass of air bubbles through the water to ball up the fish for easier feeding—for more than an hour. A bit later, we were amazed to see a young grizzly bear swim about half a mile from one island to another.
We’re always very aware of icebergs, or broken-off
“bergies,” as we cruise through glacial areas. On such a long
trip—we traveled more than 1,950 nautical miles—you have to
know your range and fueling options, along with where you’re going.
Not all channels are marked, and markers usually indicate an obstacle.
Charts really help us get the big picture. We use Charlie’s
Charts North to Alaska, Marine Atlas,
Vol. 2 (Port Hardy to Skagway) and Hilson’s
Nautical Atlas, which we really like because it includes historical
information.
We stay fairly close to shore—going in and out of a lot of fjords—but have days when the seas are up to three feet and others when the water looks like glass. We feel very safe in our Grady. It’s nice to know you have a boat that will get you back to shore. We did buy a heavier anchor—a 35-pounder—that gives us another sense of safety on the hook.
We noticed a couple of changes this year, like increased plane traffic over the Inside Passage, but still saw very few boats. The pristine landscape and relative solitude always make us feel like we’re in God’s great cathedral.
We even had a few small miracles of our own. One day, Nancy reeled in a 92-pound halibut. Another day, we stumbled upon a meeting of Tongass National Forest personnel in Angoon and were fortunate to witness a native dance where several of the headdresses worn were hundreds of years old and had been passed down from generation to generation.
Sure, it’s a lot of effort to get all the way across North America with our boat, but these aren’t the kinds of experiences you can get just anywhere. We’re already planning our next Alaskan adventure.
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