Intuition to Alaska - 2021

New moon thank you for posting the real rules and not the ongoing speculation and fear of the " it can't be done " crowd.

contrary to Tom Elliott's contention, Blaine is a GREAT jumping off point for the San Juans and points north.
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Not if the wind is blowing , which it always is . Or you want to go faster than hull speed. Now I will give pat a pass that if you are going to the NORTH END of the san juans and the WIND is not blowing ( it always is) then It might be a ok location to launch. Now that has nothing to do with the ramp and location. Its a ok two lane ramp with a lot of parking but it is also out of the way and not well seen from any road or from the main part of the marine , say like everett is. We used it for our trip to powell river. launch was great but the marina was not welcoming to over nighter in my opinion. The location boxes you in to crossing big open water with no opinion of a inside more shelter route like the gulf islands. Would I use it again? maybe if I had time to wait on weather. and to be clear it's not really the amount of wind but the direction 90% of the time will put the wind on your side. We were not happy with that part of the trip on the way back. could have ran the inside of the gulf islands and then to friday harbor in less time then going back to blaine.
 
Dinghy's- I do not like the flat bottom dinghies as they do not row very well at all. We have had several types over the years and much prefer boats with a blow up ridged floor and a blow up keel. They row far easier and track straight. it works so well that we stopped using a out board with it. Just not needed if the row is less then a mile. If we dont have the dog I like to use kayaks instead. Easy to get on and off the boat. paddles far better then any dinghy. Allows you to explore a lot more and farther then you would in a dinghy with out the noise and trouble of a gas motor. We have two old loon kayaks with large openings so carrying supplies is always an option but there are a lot of great cheap kayaks out there that would do the job.
 
I'm not recommending this strategy, but just outlining my experience. So far it has worked for me.

I really don't want the "extra" responsibility of a dinghy engine. I also want to carry any dinghy I might have on the cabin roof top.....which means I want to be able relatively easily to launch the dinghy and to retrieve it from/to the cabin roof by myself. This has lead me to continue to use a smallish, relatively light, 2 person dinghy that I must row. I figure that my C-Dory is so shallow draft, and so easy to maneuver in tight places, and so easy to pull up anchor and reset it (with a windlass), that I can just motor over to the area I want to visit with the "big" boat; and then launch the dinghy to row around (love not having the noise too). I can see larger, draft-ier boats being reluctant to do that, but I find it easy in a CD25.

P.S. I did get in trouble once in Provost Harbor on Stuart with this technique. I allowed myself to row too far and had to return against a wind. I got into a place of safety, but still had to row a 1/2 mile or so back to the mother ship. Just when this 70+ year old was mustering up the will power to make the crossing, I got lucky. StarcraftTom was moored up near my boat and observantly noticed my predicament. He came to my rescue and towed me home......thanks again Tom!!!
 
We have a Native 14.5' tandem kayak that we've taken on other trips:
https://nativewatercraft.com/product/ultimate-14-5-tandem/
We like it for all the reasons Tom just described.

While I have not (yet) ended up in the water when entering or exiting the kayak from the boat, it is much less stable during entry/exit than the inflatable dinghy. While I'd love to have both "boats" with me, the dinghy seems the safer option in colder waters.

Les
 
I’ll be following your trip. We have the same boat almost exactly. We have a 2hp Honda that is a little bulky, you can find them used for 4-600$. Using our Honda 9.9 on a dingy especially our Alaskan is a nightmare pipe dream. I would look at a light electric motor with a separate 12v battery that can be used as a backup as well. Cheaper and more practical then a torpedo as nice as those look? Maybe there is a better LI version of this https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/moto ... #store=369

I think you will be able to transit but plan to get a Covid test and results 2 days before you leave, may or may not be a requirement at the time, but no one has a crystal ball. I would keep my plan direct with only stops for fuel and ask the boarder agent at the time of crossing if walks on shore when refueling will be allowed or not. Hopefully things will be better on your way home for travellers to explore but they won’t be on your way north.

One accessory I would bring would be a flexfold combo prawn and crab trap or better yet two.

Have a wicked trip, I was showing my 4 year old Alaska on Google earth this morning in bed. Keep us dreaming.
 
You might want to consider taking an inflatable kayak/canoe instead of a dingy if you don't want to carry a motor. We normally have our Seaward Mantra 13 foot kayaks with us, but we have also carried a Sevylor Colorado with us.

https://www.amazon.ca/Sevylor-Coleman-C ... B00J0S0JGS

It does not paddle as well as the hard kayaks, but it is easy to get up and down on the boat, it can be rolled up its bag and is much easier to paddle with kayak paddles in the wind than a dingy with oars. The only flaw I have with this boat is that it is difficult to get it really hard inflated and when soft it is harder to paddle. There are other brands and models that might be better than this.
 
So here is a copy and paste of the links New Moon posted, so it appears you can transit Canadian waters to cruise from the lower 48 to Alaska, although it is not entirely clear to me what this all means. I guess you pay your money and take your chances!


Transit through Canadian waters
You currently cannot enter Canadian waters for optional reasons, such as:
touring
sightseeing
pleasure fishing
You may still navigate through international or Canadian waters while in transit directly from one place outside Canada to another place outside Canada, if the transit is:

direct
continuous/uninterrupted
by the most reasonable route
While in transit to your destination
You may only make essential stops along the way, including to use facilities, refuel or for essential supplies.

If you must stop to re-fuel or re-stock essential items, your first stop must be at a marine site designated for Canada Border Services Agency reporting.

You must:

report immediately when you anchor in Canadian waters or come to port
follow all instructions provided by the border services or quarantine officer
quarantine on your vessel and make arrangements for contactless re-fuelling and re-stocking of essential items with the marina operator
follow physical distancing practices and wear a mask during these stops
Anchoring and quarantine requirements
You may stop and anchor out of your planned navigation, particularly if it becomes dangerous to navigate at night or if the crew must rest before safely continuing your trip.

If you anchor to spend the night, you must quarantine on your vessel or boat.

If this is not possible, you may quarantine at a hotel until you are ready to resume your trip.

If your first stop in Canada is at place that is not a Canada Border Services Agency designated marine site (in case of bad weather conditions), you must report immediately to the local Royal Canadian Mounted Police office.

For more information on reporting and border clearance, consult the fact sheet.

Fact sheet: Reporting requirements for private boaters

Mandatory quarantine

Reporting requirement if you land on Canadian soil
The operator of the transiting vessel must report to the Canada Border Services Agency if:

the transiting vessel lands on Canadian soil at any point
the transiting vessel anchors, moors or comes alongside another vessel in Canadian waters
anyone onboard disembarks in Canada
For more information on reporting and border clearance, consult the fact sheet.

Fact sheet: Reporting requirements for private boaters

You may not land for an optional reason, such as:

touring
sightseeing
pleasure fishing
The Canada Border Services Agency and its law enforcement partners are actively monitoring Canadian waterways. If you fail to report, even if your purpose is non-discretionary (non-optional) such as to refuel, you may face severe penalties.

Failure to report may also affect your immigration admissibility and ability to re-enter Canada in the future.
 
starcrafttom":70vjygfb said:
Dinghy's- I do not like the flat bottom dinghies as they do not row very well at all. We have had several types over the years and much prefer boats with a blow up ridged floor and a blow up keel. They row far easier and track straight. it works so well that we stopped using a out board with it. Just not needed if the row is less then a mile. If we dont have the dog I like to use kayaks instead. Easy to get on and off the boat. paddles far better then any dinghy. Allows you to explore a lot more and farther then you would in a dinghy with out the noise and trouble of a gas motor. We have two old loon kayaks with large openings so carrying supplies is always an option but there are a lot of great cheap kayaks out there that would do the job.
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Amazing - something we agree on (although you are completely wrong about Blaine, ever since we have had a C-Dory - since 2003 - we have always launched in Blaine, and I would rather deal with the Strait of Georgia than Bellingham Bay any day of the week). We loved (and still love) our Sea Eagle FT-385 12' inflatable kayak. It has a skeg that keeps it paddling straight and true. It was a great "dinghy" for our 2017 Great Loop. It was very easy to get on and off Daydream's roof, and we did it multiple times per day for eight months. Baxter approved!

 
we have always launched in Blaine, and I would rather deal with the Strait of Georgia than Bellingham Bay any day of the week)
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Well pat that there is the problem. You are picking a " bad but better" option over a " far worse option"

What was the line from the movie Argo? This is the best worst idea we have.? That sums up Bellingham and Blaine. This is why I offer boat and truck storage at my house when I can. You pick the launch and I will launch you if available and drive your rig to my house. Come get you at the end of the summer. Just not enough affordable choices for long term , 3 month storage, any more.
 
I got lucky. StarcraftTom was moored up near my boat and observantly noticed my predicament. He came to my rescue and towed me home......thanks again Tom!!!
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No problem, you would do it for me... hell even pat would do it for me... maybe...
 
I really appreciate the recommendations and personal anecdotes!

Here's where we're at right now:
Dinghy motor - I bit the bullet and ordered a Torqeedo 1103. I think this will encourage us to get off the "big" boat and explore more than we would if my own energy were the main limitation, in addition to the safely considerations.

I'm planning routes and destinations using the Waggoner (BC) and Douglass (AK) guides. I just received the FineEdge Inside Passage Route Planning Maps, along with the 2021 Ports and Passes.

Other odd items:
While it doesn't sound as if anyone would really enforce the current requirement, I decided to make sure I was entirely legal and received an FCC Ships Station License. I already have a restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit from way back in the 20th century when I started Private Pilot training. Also received my Washington Aquatic Invasive Species Permit.

I called CBSA this week and talked with a supervisor. Her latest information referenced incidents on the Welland Canal, which didn't seem entirely relevant to our plans. She was helpful and reviewed the current information on the travel.gc.ca site. She agreed with the information that has been shared previously - travel directly, don't stop for optional reasons, provide a list of planned stops when checking in, and call CBSA if you must stop at a location not on the planned list. I'll call again before we leave St. Louis to ensure no new constraints.

Our current plan is to depart St. Louis on or about the first of June, so that we can be in the water by the second week of June.

Thanks again for the encouragement - this has been a bucket-list adventure since we bought our boat 11 years ago. We've tried to remind ourselves that each chilly, wet trip has been training for Alaska.

Les and Kel Rohlf
 
Here is the photo album of Daydream's and Anna Leigh's 2006 cruise from Blaine to Ketchikan. The highlight on the trip up was probably the Ivory Island Lighhouse and our visit with Brent and Sylvia Hacking, the lightkeepers! For anyone planning a cruise to Alaska, this might be interesting!

You might recognize this image from the random images you see when you log in to C-Brats, this is Daydream at Sullivan Bay!

Daydream_at_Sullivan_Bay_6_12_06.sized.jpg
 
FWIW,

I arrived in Ketchikan yesterday, after 15 days doing the "Transit through Canadian waters". Traveled at 7-8 knots, lost three days to waiting for weather.

Following their rules, it's not too tough. Bring enough food for the duration, and your written transit plan to give to CBSA when you check into BC. Get the ArriveCAN app and fill it out with your information. For an address of where you will quarantine, use the addr of the marina where you check in. Check-in at Port of Sidney took maybe 15 minutes once the CBSA got to my boat. No negative COVID test reqd.

Don't make sightseeing detours, don't raft up with any other boat, don't go ashore, and no fishing. Anchor every night - you may not stay in a marina. Stop for fuel and water if you need to, but indicate where you may refuel in your plan along with planned anchorages (which you do not need to follow exactly). Do not plan on refueling in small native communities like Klemtu and Hartley Bay - they are closed to outsiders. Not sure about Bella Bella, but Shearwater is nearby.

If for some reason you have to go to shore other than where you indicated possible refueling in your plan, contact the authorities.

Would have been more fun with fishing, shore excursions, etc, but what the heck - I'm in Alaska. Check-in to AK was super easy too. No COVID hoops to jump through at all. Wear masks when appropriate is it.
 
Richard, great attitude from the start on how to make your way to Alaska happen. You found the way through the bureaucracy, when many said it couldn’t be done, so sure good to see your plans work out & come to fruition. Here’s wishing you a wonderful Alaska summer.

Jay
 
Richard,
Glad to hear things have gone smoothly with your transit. Thanks for sharing the results of your research and coordination. Hopefully we'll see you at some point later this summer.

Les and Kel Rohlf
 
Great to hear you made it, safely and legitimently. You are heroes🙂. Always admire folks who can figure out how to make it work when others might throw in the towel. Ken
 
Well done, Richard!

I was just flipping through my photo album and thinking, our cruise in 2006 was a piece of cake, no covid, no issues transiting Canada, but we did have one challenging day! It was called "The Hike from Hell," and it was in Meyers Chuck on June 19, 2006.

s_of_the_Hike_from_Hell_Meyers_Chuck_6_19_06.sized.jpg

Dave Olson and his son Allan were my crew on Daydream. Dave's brother died in Meyer's Chuck skating on thin ice. His skates were hung in a tree by the place where he died. Dave's sister-in-law Nancy, who lives in Meyers Chuck, was going to guide us to the spot. She promptly got lost and we decided to follow the pipeline up, but it was rough going. We got to the lake but never did find the skates. The look on Patty's face kind of sums it all up...

 
We're on our way toward the PNW. Left St. Louis early yesterday and are spending this evening at the Walmart in Evanston, WY. We hope to arrive and launch the boat at Everett on Monday.

In addition to notes in this thread, Kel and I will be adding updates via her blog: https://souldare.com/intuition-diaries/. Kel's the more accomplished and prolific writer - she's made a couple entries for our planning/prep phase.

Les
 
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