Relaxing in Ketchikan

June 4, 2025

We had a casual day yesterday. Last night we met up with friends we met at Prince Rupert. Monica and Martyn with the Tollycraft Kia Ora, and Glenn on his sailboat, Meridian. Martyn and Monica are heading north like us in a few days while Glenn is picking up three friends here in town and then sailing back to Haida Gwaii. As many of you know, sailing out in the open ocean, as Glenn will be doing, to go to Haida Gwaii is no small feat. You really, really, really, have to get the sea conditions right. We have a major nightmare story about our fellow tugger, Bob, who didn’t follow the rules and ended up turning around just after he had to cut loose a brand new 11 foot inflatable dingy and a spanking new 25 horse outboard and watch it sink into the ocean because the boat was taking on so much water it broke loose from both the chains and the stanchions. Thankfully, Glenn took our advise and hired Chris Parker to guide him in at the right time with the right sea conditions. In his words, “my confidence has improved 100.”We completely understand. Chris is the best and you can always use another set of eyes from an expert.

Two added treats were the fresh biscotti from Monica and then some fresh Halibut caught from Shawn our harbor master. We are going to have halibut sandwiches for dinner tonight.

Below is a picture shared by Randy, another friend from Prince Rupert who is on a Lord Nelson tug, Hiaqua. Moral of this story is: don’t leave food on your boat or the resident Eagles will dive bomb your boat.

And while I’m on the subject of boats there is a “nagging issue” I face every summer on our boat. I call it the “dreaded tobacco bow stains.” Below is a picture of what happens to a boat when it’s been in the waters of Northern BC and Southeast Alaska for a few weeks to months. The algae of the waters, combined with diesel run-off from fishing boats, and the slapping waves produce the following effect. This is a 42 foot Nordic Tug here in the harbor.

As time rolls on it can get real bad. You will see the tobacco stains on almost every fishing boat in the harbor. The problem is that the waters and acids slowly break down the gel coat of the hull bow and the longer it goes untreated the worse it gets. So, what to do? The answer, I discovered, four years ago when we were anchored in Cortez Bay on Cortes Island. Soon after we arrived a large Grand Banks Classic of about 40ish feet cruised in. The bow of the boat was absolutely covered in stains. I mentioned it to Marlene because, save for this, the boat was beautiful. Shortly after they anchored I saw the captain launch his dingy and began going around the hull of his boat with a bucket of something and a sponge. Before my eyes I saw the tobacco stains melt away within minutes. He would lightly rub the hull with a rag and then after a few minutes wash it off with fresh water. I had to find out his solution. I got in our dingy and went over to his boat.

”Pardon my intrusion but I am totally amazed at how you have cleaned the stains off your boat. Wow. What are you using?”

”CSR.”

”CSR, what’s that?”

”It’s a chemical that breaks down the stains. It will take off some of your wax, but it does the job.”

He brought over a small spray bottle to my boat and I immediately tried it. Voila, no more tobacco stains. I bought a large gallon drum of this and carry two large spray bottles with me on our boat. Whenever the stains arise I attack the problem with CSR, as I did yesterday. If you are heading north for any length of time you need this product. Then, upon your return, polish your boat and you will be good as new.

OK, one more boat story. (Sorry, I cannot help myself). On our walk yesterday down where the cruise ships moor there are a couple of small marinas with about 12 or so boats. One boat in particular that we saw—yet again—is a 45ish Navigator named, “Hey Dude.”

”Oh my god Marlene, Hey Dude is still here.” This was the second year we saw her here in Alaska. The story of this boat begins in the height of the COVID, July of 2020 in Prevost Harbor on Stuart Island. We were anchored in the harbor along with quite a few other boats. We woke up the next morning and Marlene noticed this boat.

”Greg, I think this boat is on the rocks.”

”No, its just an optical illusion.”

”I don’t think so. Let get in the dingy and go see.” And so we did. Low and behold, Marlene was right. There is a nasty reef in Prevost Harbor that is CLEARLY marked on all the navigation charts and apps. As we approached the boat a young man came out of the boat looking a bit “dusty.”

”Are you OK? Do you need any help?”

”No, we are OK. We came in late and I thought we were fine. It showed I had 12 feet of water, but I guessed wrong when the tides changed. Now I’m stuck on the rocks.” We offered our condolences and went back to our boat. And then what did I do? Immediately start sending the picture to my boating friends, one of whom is Rico. He came back to me almost immediately.

“If that boat is a Navigator then I know it. What’s the name?”

”Hey Dude.”

”Yup that’s the boat. It used to be named, Hey Jude. Our commodore at Queen City Yacht Club used to own the boat but it burned. Obviously, it has been resurrected and a letter changed on the name.”

The next day we watched as the boat limped out of the harbor on one engine. It obviously was repaired and brought north to Alaska. I “think” it is now a charter. Wanna go?

It’s a Patagonia kind of day. We will be here for two more nights. It’s now time to begin building our float plan for heading north. We are thinking about the Misty Fjords for about 5 or 6 days.