Misty Fjords to Meyer’s Chuck via Ketchikan

June 27th, 2023

We left Punchbowl this morning at 5:30 am. Most of the prior evening was spent watching the resident Brown Bear comb the beachside. The other boats left so it was just us, the fjords and the bear. Instead of continuing on around the fjords we decided to circle back to Ketchikan. We needed some additional equipment for our secondary depth sounder and decided it was also easier to position for Meyer’s Chuck tomorrow from Ketchikan.

It was a beautiful, almost glass like, six hour cruise back to Ketchikan. For the first four hours we did not encounter another boat. But on the way into the harbor we encountered the following boat.

Artifact is a super yacht commissioned in 2020, measuring in at 260 feet. Solar panels and a large battery storage system allow the vessel to operate for a limited time with no use of internal combustion engines. Innovative Dc-bus diesel-electric Azipod propulsion engines can hold the position of the boat without dropping anchor to protest sensitive sea floor conditions. (Oh, so sensitive). The wastewater is reused for grey water use throughout the boat. (Oh so environmental). But perhaps most impressive is the floor to ceiling glass central section complimenting 740 square meters of curved and expressive glasswork weighing almost 60 tons. Say what you will, this is a gorgeous boat. Artifact is now the biggest-volume 80 meter super yacht in the world. I was going to see if we could smooze our way on to the boat for cocktails but Marlene said it wasn’t a good idea.

Finally, I continue to be humbled by the boating feats of others. I thought we were doing a pretty good job getting to Alaska in one piece with our 40 foot trawler and in comes a 18 foot sea Kayak finishing the Race To Alaska from Port Townsend to Ketchikan. Wow. Like, really wow.

On to Meyer’s Chuck tomorrow.