North to Alaska: Johnstone Straits

A one and a half knot favorable current takes us north through more sparsely populated areas. Winds are strong and on our nose. We have not heard from Shonto as yet; the day travel day ends early at Port Neville; we increase the boat population from two to four. Only three buildings of which the post office has been here since 1895; from the looks of it, there is not much mail coming and going on weekly deliveries.
Lorna is the fourth generation linked to Hans Hansen who settled here in 1891. Besides the post office, she runs an art gallery and gift shop. Lorne challenges William and Robin to a game of Cubb on the lawn. Combine lawn darts, lawn bowling and horse shoes, make up rules and you have Cubb, an old Viking game. The dynamic duo (William and Robin) cleaned house; Stan and I came in third place ... or is that last …

Lorne and Colleen travel the islands each summer in their Danish built, LM 17 sloop, Shaunsea. The enclosed pilot house and diesel heater are well suited to the islands here. A young couple and their year and a half old baby girl are heading to her dance teaching job in Ketchikan; their 36 foot sloop has new safety nets all around the life lines; he will find work when they get there. Shonto arrived late in the day. The lift operator at the boat yard worked overtime to get them back in the water; he and his wife plan to visit Stan and Sue in New Mexico in the fall. Rich is pleased with the repairs and the bilges; one and a third boat dollars … bad rock, seams everybody knows about it but us.

Cast off at 0600 bound to Port McNeill, some forty miles away. I put on my ski mask to ward off the cold and possibly knock off a bank; the water is 49‘F and the air is drizzly with a low hanging fog and overcast at 100 feet. The currents run up to a favorable one and a half knots. The Empire Princess and Norwegian Star are heading north to Ketchikan; we will likely cross their paths many times. Cereal in milk for breakfast, the same as served on the cruise ships; life is good, just a little cold.

The water has turned to glass. We enter Port Mcneill on a favorable tide to fuel up, add food, buy charts and spend the night.