Monday, August 19, 2013

SV BEST EXPLORER 2012 NWP - Second Year - Alaska and British Columbia - 5,000 (more) miles

NordOvest Italia

The S/V BEST EXPLORER



July 26, 2012 ICE CHART

Five thousand miles
August 19, 2013, 23:26 h - Posted by Nanni (Google translates in its own way?)


Five thousand miles
Five thousand miles. Almost. So much has been along our trip around Alaska to the British Columbia. Corresponds to one and a half to cross the Atlantic from Gibraltar to the Caribbean. Took us from the Arctic ice edged along the desolate shores of the Beaufort Sea, that only a handful of sailors ever comes to see. Then, after being tossed about by a strong and thankfully brief storm, we squeezed into the narrow passage between America and Asia, where the United States and the Soviet Union looked in askance directly in the eye during the Cold War.
terrible We crossed the Bering Sea during the last possible days of last autumn, trying to take advantage of the few hours of "reasonable" time between the deep depressions that came from Japan and that generated winds in excess of the eighty knots, as we have personally experienced while we were fortunately already moored in our harbor wintering in King Cove, surrounded by mountains already bleached by the first snow.
Back in the spring with an exceptionally clear sky that gave us a spectacular view of the mountains and snow-capped volcanoes of the Seward Peninsula we followed the route traced almost three hundred years ago by Vitus Bering, the first white man to discover the Aleutian Islands and Alaska.
The weather was clement, too, since we have not met never wind and we were forced to use the engine for the entire route to Canada.
On the other hand we enjoyed countless bays and shelters, narrow passages, winding canals, all carpeted by a continuous forest of slender and tall fir trees characteristic the Pacific coast.
Along the way we met very few boats in addition to the numerous fishing boats of various kinds, all friendly and curious to hear our story in all the ports we touched.
superabundant The nature everywhere filled our senses with ospreys from the head bald, sea lions, seals, whales, dolphins, porpoises, sea otters, musk oxen, caribou, salmon, bears, albatrosses, hummingbirds (!) and an infinite number of seabirds, all with their cries details and no one ever bothered by our presence and our engine. The intoxicating scent of the forest there whenever gettavamo the scenes again and the green of the trees, always present since we passed the island of Kodiak, they gave us unmediated sense of the immense spaces of this true Far West U.S..
Navigating was not so easy, in spite of the calm, protected waters of the inner channels archipelago. We met currents, sometimes really fast, with their eddies and crosscurrents their unexpected large tidal, anchors deep, murky waters, wide banks of giant seaweed (kelp) in the Pacific that we have posed new and difficult challenges.Nothing, however, that a sailor reasonably well prepared and prudent can not deal with.
We then let perpetual light of the Arctic summer to return to a much milder climate, though sometimes rather damp, and dark nights of the temperate latitudes, not too sorry to stop the heavy clothes which we had become accustomed to wearing.
cockpit Our coverage has been and still is a key advantage for our comfort, protecting the people who guarded from cold, wind, rain and moisture and making our progress always comfortable, in spite of the severe climate we encountered.
Now we are exploring the protected anchorages and the labyrinth of channels of British Columbia and we intend to relax a bit after this long journey, before tackling the next steps towards its long Baja California in next spring!Five thousand miles. Almost. That's the length of our voyage around Alaska to British Columbia. It is one and a half times longer than crossing the Atlantic Ocean from Gibraltar to the Caribbeans. It Took us from the ice-bound Arctic Ocean along the barren shores of Beaufort Sea, That only a handful of sailors ever get to see. Then, after being tossed around by a heavy storm but luckily short, we squeezed through the narrow passage between America and Asia, where U.S. and USSR were touching and most touchy During the cold war. We crossed the terrible Bering Sea During the last autumn manageable days, trying to use the few hours of "reasonable" weather between deep depressions coming from Japan, producing winds in excess of eighty knots, as we experienced Already moored, luckily, in our winter harbor of King Cove, the first snow blanketing the surrounding mountains. In spring we were back and with an exceptional clear sky and a magnificent view of the snow clad volcanoes and mountains of Seward Peninsula Followed the route we sailed almost three hundred years ago by Vitus Bering, When as first white man he Discovered the Aleutians Islands and Alaska. Weather Has Been kind to us, even too much, as we got no winds at all since, forcing us to motor all the way to Canada. But we could enjoy an unlimited number of coves, straits, narrows, winding canals, all lined up with Sitka spruce and hemlock. On the road we met very few boats beyond the many fishing vessels, seiners, long liners, crabbers, That where friendly and curious to listen to our story in every harbor we pulled in. everywhere The nature filled our eyes, ears and nose with the sight of bald eagles, sea lions, seals, whales, dolphins, sea otters, muskoxen, Cariboos, salmons, bears, albatrosses, and an unlimited hmmingbirds number of sea birds, all uttering Their peculiar noises, not ever disturbed by our boat and motor. The rich scent of the forest reached us any time we anchored and the green scenery, ever present after we passed the island of Kodiak, gave us the direct feeling of the enormous space of the American real Wild West. Sailing was not so easy, despite the calm waters protected from the ocean swell. Currents, some times really fast, With Their Overfalls and eddies, big tides differences, Anchorages deep, murky waters, large patches of kelp, seaweed of the special gigantic North Pacific, where, all presenting us new and difficult challenges. Nothing That a reasonable though well prepared and careful sailor could not afford. We left the continuous daylight of the Arctic to get back to a much milder weather, though some times pretty wet, and the dark nights of the temperate latitudes, not too sorry to dismiss the warm garments we were earlier used to wear. Our protected cockpit has been and still is a major bonus for our comfort, sheltering people on watch from cold, wind, rain or drizzle and making our passage always comfortable, notwithstanding the harsh climate we encountered . Now we are exploring the peaceful Anchorages and the maze of channels of British Columbia and are going to relax a bit after this very long voyage, before affording further the long run to Baja California. Next spring!



Three small pieces

July 28, 2013, 04:12 h - Posted by Salvatore (Google translates in its own way?)


It's empty: it's new Juneau, July 21, 2013 The driver of line 3 that from Juneau back to Auke Bay shakes his head while his hands clinging to the steering to pull to the right on the bus. opens the door in front of us and continues to shake his head pointing to the gas cylinder propane at our feet. 's not allowed to board with a gas cylinder and, as if to justify himself, he adds: regulation. We ribattiamo: we just bought it, it's new, it's empty. It tightens the shoulders, makes a face of consternation and closes the door, forcing us to take a step back. But not again. Speak to the radio with the operations center. reopens the door and let us listen to the conversation. 's convincing.arrives ok. thanking We mount on board with wide smiles. He reciprocates by inviting us to take a seat. We walk between the rows of seats greeted by the curious eyes of children and those concerned with their mothers. A says, do not want to send all the air. It's empty, it's new ... reassure us. _______________ Another day another race Frederick Sound, 23/07/2013 Black above. streaked white below. 's the biggest I've ever seen. Or simply has never been so close. 's tail. The tail row of a humpback whale off the water rising up. Then, with a soft movement, you have right angles and dips. A check is all the rest of the humpback whale. Tens of tons of fat and meat firmly glued to a mighty framework of a forty feet move with unexpected elegance without lifting a sketch. 's like to Pond Inlet. Actually, no, I am immediately denied. , Frederick Sound is teeming with humpback whales. Do you see the eye everywhere lift up thine eyes. Splash. Backs. Code . shots and shooting in quantity ... serve to anything? In certain places, at certain times you have to be there, not worth the story. But the morning we sorpende with an unusual show. A humpback whale shake a little 'distant. Approaching. Swim banging loudly on the back of the side fins on the water surface. Shows the belly. Sometimes he turns ... a puff of breath and again on the back. Again flaps its fins. then a deeper breath and plunges. The water is calm and still. appear Where? Look around, nothing.Just spray and tails that further plunge. Looking to pick up a signal in the water. Nothing. Sudden a geyser from the sea came out of nowhere with a torpedo inside. The water falls. No. The humpback whale. remains in the air a few more seconds. 's all out, I finally understand how it is made ​​... there head. the mouth ... In slow motion, the force of gravity brings it crashing back down. The sea explodes beneath her. A somersault, a breath. And down.Another round, another race. _________________ stuff you would not believe Petersburg, 24 / 07/2013 The first thing they tell you coming to Petersburg is that you should go in the near Frederick Sound to see the whales. At first answer "already seen." Then ponder. Why extinguish enthusiasm? Then answer "of course! " And leave the epic narratives. If I had not seen it with your own eyes ... stuff you would not believe. The second they tell you is that the place has grown from a colony of Norwegians. A fifteen thousand kilometers away? If the place was not full of testimonies would be ... stuff you would not believe. Petersburg The third thing is that it is value for the fifteenth port - mind you - but not in Alaska in the United States and the sixteenth in size. But where? Here?Sperduto in the canals of the inner islands of the jagged coast southern Alaska? If I had not read about the pilot's book would be ... stuff you would not believe.







2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good Morning. We just saw you in Bargain Bay B.C and we were curious about your boat because the numbers on the bow were not Canadian. It sounds like you are have a wonderful adventure. Jim and Pam Cave - M/V Phoenix Hunter

Douglas Pohl said...

BEST EXPLORER is from Italy. Read the northwestpassage2012.blogspot.com for BEST EXPLORER's NW Passage.

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