Alaska - Day 9

Day 9 was to be our last full day of padding. After the mammoth day we’d put in on Day 8, it was on all of our minds that we only had to paddle 12.5 miles in order to reach the 100 mile mark. We packed up camp at Pakenham Point and loaded our boats for the last time.

As usual, the tide was going out as we were preparing to pack up. So to load our boats, we carried them closer to the water and placed them on log rafters to keep them off the sharp rocks and barnacles while we shoved all our gear through the hatches and into the far reaches of the compartments. We were all feeling like there was stuff missing from our individual assortment of bags which we could only attribute to all the food we’d eaten over the past week. The sun was out in full force and made the process of packing the boats hot work.

The plan for the day was to cross College Fjord, then head south into Esther Passage, before returning to “Boat Beach”, the same beach we’d started from and where Captain Mike was scheduled to pick us up from the next day.

While making the 2 mile crossing across the fjord, the hot, sunny weather gradually turned cloudier and we even felt some spots of rain. We saw a lot of fish jumping during the crossing, which seemed like a good sign for those hoping to land one. After we completed the crossing, we soon found a lunch spot, close to the same spot where we’d been on earlier in the week when we’d been heading in the opposite direction. Andy and Brad both got out their fishing rods, but fishing from shore proved fruitless.

After lunch it started raining as we made our way across to a small bay that looked like an interesting feature on the map. We found a large group of fish that were jumping (video here) and Brad got out his fishing rod to try his luck. There were a few close calls, but the fish all managed to work their way off the hook before they could be reeled in. Then he landed a big one, and with Brad holding his rod with both hands, the fish started pulling his kayak along... fortunately Andy and Wendy where close by with the net to help him out.

We continued on our way and after stopping at a stream to replenish our water, we reached the entrance to Esther Passage. Fresh bear tracks were seen once again. We began paddling into the pass to clock up our mileage before turning around and heading to the pick-up beach which was just around the next point. I think we where all getting a bit tired at this point and I was being asked with increasing frequency to check my GPS to see how many miles we’d done. Eventually we reached the turn around point from which point we would safely paddle a total of over 100 miles by the time the day was over.

It was properly raining by the time we reached the fjord again. The passage had been sheltered and the water relatively calm. In comparison, the conditions in the fjord were not. We needed to make our way around the point to the beach where we were going to spend the night, but we faced large waves and torrential rain. Andy and Wendy were a good distance ahead and led the way. In rough water you don’t want the waves to hit your boat side-on as they could easily tip (or flip) you over that way. For this reason, and due to the rough water and large waves, we had to paddle out in a straight line (almost perpendicular to the waves) into the fjord a good distance before making a 90 degree turn in the direction we actually wanted to go in. Even so, we were in rough water and it only takes one big wave to catch you unaware before you and your boat are upside down in icy, cold, stormy water. Erin, Brad, and I kept in close proximity as the rain got heaver and we made our way slowly around the point.

The rain was heavy and wet, and the waves were crashing against the stones on the beach when we arrived. As soon as I was out of my boat, I rushed under a close-by tree to put on my full set of heavy-duty rain gear. Then we scrambled to secure the boats, before going about setting up camp. We roped up the large black tarps between trees to cover our tents, and the rain eased up. We retrieved some firewood we’d stashed to start a fire as the rain eased some more. After dinner we tried to dry off by the fire before turning-in for our last night in the wilderness.