Magoun Island - Whales, Sea Lions and Eagles

Location:  Sitka, Alaska

Seabiscuit at anchor, Magoun Island.

Humpback whales bubble net feeding on herring.

April 2, Tuesday, Magoun Island:  Our first night at anchor at Magoun Island was calm and peaceful.  We had very little wind and a clear sky with millions of stars visible.  This morning we fired up the GGH and did a few tests including clutching in the prop shaft.   We let it run for a couple of hours to charge our house batteries.  We vacuum packed the herring Dave caught last night and put it in the freezer to use as bait.  We put one on a hook and put it over the side, hoping to catch a halibut - we didn't.

The shoreline along the cove where we were anchored. 
If you look closely you can see the bald eagles along the shore and in the trees.

Vacuum-packing the herring to use as bait.

 We launched the dinghy, started the outboard and Dave took it for a spin around the anchorage.

Dave waiting for the dinghy motor to warm up.

Dave taking the dinghy for a spin around the anchorage.

The weather was gorgeous, warm and sunny and we spent most of the afternoon outdoors.  I planted herb and lettuce seeds and Dave sanded the bow repair then painted the repaired area.  I filled our hummingbird feeders and we hung them from the solar rack over the stern.

B on the stern planting herbs (basil, parsley and cilantro) and lettuce.

Dave in the dinghy working on the bow repair.

After Dave finished painting the bow repair, we went for a dinghy ride around the cove and across the channel to watch the eagles and the sealions.

Eagles in the trees along the shoreline.

A seaplane taking off.  A small (9 passenger) expedition yacht, MV Northern Song, was
cruising near Magoun Island.  One of the options for the passengers was to take
a flight-seeing tour of Sitka Sound and the surrounding areas. 

April 3, Wednesday, Magoun Island, Low Island, De Groff Bay, Magoun Island:  After breakfast we heaved anchor and cruised out of the bay.  Just around the corner in the East Channel, between Magoun and Krestof Islands, a pod a humpback whales was bubble net feeding so we stopped to watch them.

Sea lions swimming in the channel.

Humpback whales bubble net feeding on herring.

Humpback whales bubble net feeding on herring.

Humpback whales bubble net feeding on herring.  Mount Edgecombe is in the background.

We cruised up to Krestof Sound, around the Magoun Islands, out the west channel and down the east coast of Kruzof Island to Low Island.  Along the way we clutched in the main generator and tested our gray and black water discharge pumps and then tested the Wesmar stabilizers.  Everything worked.  Out at Low Island, we stopped to watch several herds of sea lions feeding on herring and playing in the water.

A herd of sea lions near Low Island.

We turned around and headed north back up the east coast of Kruzof Island and into the East Channel.  We eased our way through the two narrow openings into De Groff Bay where we planned to anchor for the night.  The wind had picked up and was creating some chop in the bay and we didn't see any wildlife along the shore so we eased back out and returned to the Magoun Island anchorage where we knew the eagles would entertain us.  We dropped the hook and settled in for the evening.  For my "fun" chore of the day I pumped up the paddle board.

B on the boat deck airing up the paddle board.

April 4, Thursday, Magoun Island to Sitka Eliason Harbor:  We spent the morning updating our maintenance log, To Do List and the HAM radio net list.  At 10:00 we heaved anchor, cruised into Sitka Harbor and tied up at the transient dock at Eliason Harbor.  We spent the afternoon doing "town" chores - laundry, trips to the hardware store, liquor store and grocery store, and topping up the fresh water tank.

April 5, Friday, Sitka Eliason Harbor:  More "town" chores today - internet work, a stop at the bank, buying socks at the Ben Franklin, buying parts and a crab trap at the marine store, etc.  I spent the afternoon blogging while Dave built a pump circulating skid to use for pressuring up the Kabola hydronic fluid.  We worked on the propane solenoid valve but could only get it to operate intermittently.

April 6, Saturday, Sitka Eliason Harbor:  More chores - hardware store, grocery store, liquor store, marine store and Ben Franklin.  We took the used oil up to the recycling tank, assembled the crab trap, worked on the blog and did some cleaning and de-cluttering.

Members of the Sitka Tribe paddling a traditional canoe past Eliason Harbor on Saturday morning.

April 7, Sunday, Eliason Harbor - Magoun Island - Eliason Harbor:  Laura, Jim, Noah and Ingrid joined us today for a cruise out to the Magoun Islands and back.  We were hoping to see the whales bubble net feeding but we didn't see any pods that big.  We did see two humpback whales just south of Magoun Island and watched them for a while.  For lunch, we anchored in the cove at Magoun Island and watched the eagles along the shore line while we ate.  We did a circuit around the Magoun Islands up into Krestof Sound and then headed back towards town.  We saw a few sea lions and a sea otter.  It was windy and rainy most of the day, not the greatest day to be out, but we enjoyed ourselves. 

Noah and Ingrid in the pilot house.

Laura and Jim in the saloon.

We made our way back to Eliason Harbor and tied up at the transient dock in the same location as before. Our guests headed home and Dave and I set up at the dock.  Mom had forwarded a box of mail and tax documents so I spent some time working on tax stuff.  Ben's birthday today so we called and talked to him and the grandkids.

April 8, Monday, Eliason Harbor:  The last of our town chores today - another trip to the marine store, the laundry and the grocery store.  We topped up our fresh water tank and did some securing for sea.  Dave worked on the propane solenoid valve control but we still haven't figured out the issue.  Our replacement pressure switch for the Kabola arrived so Dave installed that.

My lettuce seeds have sprouted and are growing.  The herb seeds are not far behind.

Dave working on the propane solenoid valve control.

We're headed north tomorrow towards Kimshan Cove and then Pelican.
Until next time...