#53 - Petersburg

Today a new crew arrives from Hollywood: it's Peter and Jinx Stazicker our sailing friends from the Cal Yacht Club. Alex met Peter during mid-1980's while sailboat racing in Marina del Rey. Short of crew for a Wednesday evening race, Alex stopped his sailboat at the fuel dock, a hangout for last-minute crew. Among the many looking for a ride was Peter, holding a cold 12-pack of cold Heineken. Those green bottles told a lot about Peter's sailing qualifications, and his taste in beer!

His crewing ability kept Peter sailing aboard Alex's boats for many years. Peter now campaigns his own sailboats, a Martin 242 and his Beneteau 40 named Flash Packet. A retired architect, and an ongoing English gentleman, he and Jinx are in the process of moving to Ojai in So Cal.

Peter and Jinx our crew for the week.

Upon arrival aboard, a cold Alaska Summer Ale, or two, was popped open for the new crew. Unlike last summer's cold Alaska sojourn, it's warm now and been continually in the high 70's and 80's for over a week. The diesel heater has been deactivated, something unthinkable last year. It's shorts and t-shirts weather, and Pat has yet to put on her long underwear this season. It's even been mild during the few lows that has passed through Southeast Alaska.

Petersburg looks pretty under the bright sun of summer.

After the new crew plays a day in town a bit tomorrow, we'll motor down Wrangell Narrows to an anchorage near its southern end. Goodnight.