#37 - Hoonah to Gustavus to Dixon Harbor

We got out of Hoonah at 11AM and headed for an anchorage jut off Gustavus about two hours away. This is the service town for Glacier Bay National Park and the only way to get to the airport without entering Glacier Bay. It's a one pier, one store town and the airport, built during World War II, was used originally for aircraft transferring prisoners to a nearby Excursion Inlet POW camp. Now Alaska Air has daily 737 service in the afternoon to and from Juneau.

After anchoring north of Pleasant Island, the crew escorted Pat to Gustavus by tender while Alex stood anchor watch. It was a 1-mile walk to the general store to locate a cab then a substantial monetary outlay to hire the cab for another 1-mile ride to the airport. The crew was not impressed with the one-store town and hopes we can get permits for Bartlett Cove in Glacier Bay which has better facilities for visitors when they need to fly from Gustavus Airport.

Pat leaves for Gustavus Airport with four escorts.

The route around Cape Spenser, into the Gulf of Alaska, and finally Dixon Harbor.

With Pat at the airport, the tender and crew returns and we get underway to Cape Spenser and beyond. Our goal is an anchorage just northwest of the Cape putting us in a position to reach Latuya Bay early tomorrow morning. We will try to go as far up the coastline that the Gulf of Alaska seas and weather allow.

Cape Spenser lighthouse means we're entering the mighty Gulf Of Alaska

Motoring west Icy Strait we see lots of humpback whales around the Inian Islands. The west wind is steady at 10 knots as we round Cape Spenser, turning right, and enter the Gulf. The seas are about 3 feet on the nose and easily managed by boat and crew. We motor just about 12 miles along the coast beyond Cape Spense until we reach Dixon Harbor, the last secure anchorage before Latuya Bay. It's 9PM and we'll leave at 3AM tomorrow to make the 7AM slack current as we enter the narrow channel at the opening of Latuya Bay. Goodnight for six hours.