Day 65: Mirror Harbor to Sitka

With big winds forecast for the Gulf of Alaska tomorrow and some open ocean exposure required to reach Sitka, we decided to just suck it up and go all the way in one day. High tide was at 10AM, so we couldn’t leave at our usual early hour, and Ryan had time to take one last early morning dinghy ride. The beautiful photo he took below exemplifies how Mirror Cove got its name.

Sorry that I haven’t got any photos to show you of the trip down to Sitka, but the first part we were both busy making sure we didn’t run aground on the way out of Mirror Cove, the middle bit was on the open ocean and too rough to safely go outside, and the last bit - well, I just wasn’t inspired. I am sorry that we didn’t take any pictures of the open ocean part, because that was pretty amazing. The coastline we were traveling down is rotten with rocks and reefs, so there was lots of breaking surf (which we gave a wide berth), and the rollers got up to maybe 10 feet, which was a little fun and a little scary. We encountered several whales along the way, too, some quite close to the boat, and we changed course a few times to ensure we didn’t hit anyone. Despite enjoying the experience, it was a relief to reach Salisbury Sound where we re-entered protected waters and returned to the relaxation of slow boating and minimal waves. On the way through Neva Strait we crossed paths with the couple we had had dinner with in Kynoch Inlet on Day 14, and stopped for just a brief chat, since they were trying to catch the tide on the Sergius Narrows.

We got a slip in Eliason Harbor in Sitka, and we arrived early enough in the day to walk through town while the shops were still open. Thank goodness there were no cruise ships in, so town felt like a normal small Alaskan town.

Sitka has lots of marina space

I’m not sure what this is, but it is certainly interesting to look at

Domes on St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral in downtown Sitka

At one of the sporting goods shops we went into, Ryan asked for dinner recommendations and we ended up taking a nice coastal walk to get to the Harbor Mountain Brewing Company where we had local beers and tasty wood-fired pizzas. It hit the spot! The gal who pointed us to Harbor Mountain must have whet her own appetite, because we saw her arrive as we were finishing our pizza.

Now we’re back on the boat enjoying the sunshine that has made a late appearance before bedtime. I meant to do a few chores this evening, but I’m feeling too content. They can wait for tomorrow.

View from the boat deck

Today’s route (67 miles)

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