[PUP] Idlewild 07/07/06: Kodiak is Next

[PUP]

Date/time:                July 7, 2006 12:00 local (z-9)
Position at noon:         55D33'N 159D23'W
False Pass to Noon        160 nm,  295 km
Avg. speed:               8.0 kts
Miles to Kodiak           294 miles
Course bearing:           057D
Sea state:                SE swells 3'
Wx:                       Wind SE 5 to 15 kts (10 to 30km)
Water temp:               12.0D C
Crew:                     Ben, Brad & Kevin
                       the 'Salty Hillbillies'
Remarks:
A charactaristic of the North Pacific and Bering Sea is that weather can
change for the worse more quickly than many areas of the world.  We found
that happening 3 times in 2 Days where it went from 0 to 40 and in one case
50 Kts (94 kph) in 4 to 6 hours when we were by Russia and again here Wed.
A note from our friend Pat Hahn in Nome, 'I fished crab locally in Norton
Bay, and it can get nasty very quickly.  I also had a friend who sailed-up
about 10-years ago who pitch poled (went end over end) 3 times on the return
trip.  Willie writes for a British sailing publication, and needless to say,
there were no followers on his trip.'
I had heard of a 110' fishing boat pitch poling in the Bering Sea with a
companionship watching, and all hands were lost.
But, all in all, we had a nice trip; and you have to expect a few bumps.  It
is a lovely, quiet harbor here at False Pass, population 63 with 6 school
kids.  Even the dogs don't bark.
False Pass is the town in Isanotski Strait that divides the Alaska Peninsula
from the Aleutian Islands.  At Attu, we were about 1000-miles west, the
outer end of the Aleutians.
Yesterday we took the dinghy to shore, and went to the grocery store, but it
is only open 13:00 to 15:00, so visited the post office and city office.
'City' is what they call it.  Nice people and friendly fishermen.  We pulled
anchor at 13:00 and went across the strait and caught 2-halibut and 1-cod,
then headed out.  Saw a big Alaskan Brown bear as we left the Strait,
feeding on a side hill.
We are taking the longer, scenic route to Kodiak.  We hope to see more
wildlife, and get some protection if a big blow comes.
--
Ben Gray
Idlewild
Custom Buehler 55 powered by a 55-hp Kubota
Home port: Dunvegan, Alberta
   http://www.idlewildexpedition.ca
   http://dieselducks.com/Idelwild.html
   http://www.trawlersandtrawlering.com

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