Pacific NW

Expeditions

The southeast winds finally came today! A mixed blessing, as they bring with them the moisture, but it made for some fantastic sailing. Downwind, up the Stephen’s Passage, 25 miles to Taku Harbor we sailed. On the way we were approached by a coast guard cutter. They pulled right up to us and asked us if we were ok, which I thought was a little odd. Of course we were ok, we had our sails out and were enjoying the perfect tack! The coast guard then sped off, to god knows where or why, at 50 miles per hour. We made a tack into Taku Harbor and docked the boat under sail. Who needs a motor when the wind is blowing? Taku Harbor is a strange place frozen in time. 1984, to be exact. It started out as a cannery but now all that remains are a dozen or so abandoned houses and a state-maintained public dock. Several of the houses were missing windows or had smashed-in doors, and of course we investigated. Inside was the weirdest thing. 1984. Everything, including food in the pantry, clothing in the dressers, and magazines on the tables, had been left in the houses, intact. The wall calendars were open to 1984, the coats were still hanging on the coat racks, even an arrangement of perfumes still sat on the bedside dresser. It was the twilight zone: not a single thing was missing from the house, except for the people. They just up and left everything they had for some reason! We picked our way back to the boat amongst the ruins and rain, fired up the woodstove, and enjoyed our last evening before entering the civilization of Juneau. Anyone who has never experienced the joy of a wood stove on a boat has no idea what they are missing. I am mystified as to why people would choose any other alternative. It goes without argument that a wood fire gives out the driest, warmest, and most pleasant heat source, and gives the cabin a pleasant aroma. I always love falling asleep while listening to the rain pattering on the cabin top as the fire hisses and pops in the stove.