We took our time getting up today, since the weather was wet and windy, and the currents weren’t favorable through the Wrangell Narrow until later in the morning. When we finally left Wrangell, the wind had died down, and it was only rough for the first hour or so, then it was just wet and misty.
The 24-mile long Wrangell Narrows is the only way north from Wrangell without going west into unprotected waters. It’s used by all but but the largest vessels, so I imagine it be can pretty scary to meet an Alaska State Ferry, barge, or smaller cruise ship at the one of the 300-foot wide pinch points. We did not meet any large boats on our transit, but it had its challenges, with rain, fog, and fishermen scattered everywhere trolling for a short king salmon opening.
We planed through the narrows to give our engines a bit of a stretch and to take advantage of the slack tide. Once we got to Petersburg, we were assigned a slip at the North Harbor and spent the afternoon napping and doing odd jobs while we waited for the rain to stop, which it did around 4PM
We had a walk around town and picked up some tacos for dinner. Founded by Norwegians, Petersburg retains its Scandinavian flavor. Lots of Norwegian flags around, as well as Norwegian shop names and Norwegian architectural touches on the buildings. And, of course, the giant Sons of Norway Hall.
By the time we got back to the marina, the skies were blue, the sun shining, and the mountains revealed. Petersburg is a working port, with the docks dominated by fishing boats and fish processing facilities bordering the harbor.
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