Rocky Pass

7/17/07

Day 22

Devil's Elbow Forest Service Cabin

Fabulous day today! Perhaps one of the best yet. Covered 15 easy miles thanks to the tidal current. Foggy morning from Pup Island to Entrance Island on compass. Caught the beginning of the flood current into Rocky Pass at 10am. At Entrance Island the fog lifts to reveal a narrow, well marked waterway between Kuiu an Kuprenof Islands. Narrow passes, reefs, islets, rocks, kelp and current. Just enough current to speed us along. No real rapids except right at "The Summit" where the passage is so narrow and shallow it has been dredged to accommodate boats up to 50 feet. It sure would be tight though! We rafted the boats for lunch and ate while drifting along at about two knots!

Saw no one until reaching what the Douglasses call "Baidarka Anchorage". Paddling over to the Lacretia B we chat for a bit with the couple on board. They are about to haul anchor to slip south through a tricky spot, Devil's Elbow, at high water slack. "You came all the way from Glacier Bay in kayaks?! Where's all your gear? And you're going to Bellingham, in kayaks?!" Its awesome to see folks so flabbergasted. They're from Sitka, but have wintered in Bellingham and know our friends Chara and Emmo! Small world. They even offered to send an e-mail to Chara for us to keep her posted on our whereabouts. Three cheers!!

The next kicker of the day is the Forest Service A-frame cabin. Tucked away on an isthmus between two tidal flats it has a cozy downstairs with two double bunks, a large kitchen counter and table with two benches, oil stove for heat and sleeping loft upstairs. Big windows top to bottom front and back, nice view out front over the salt grasses and mud flat. South exposure with a wooden deck and patio and today is a bright sunny day, perfect for drying gear and charging batteries with the solar panels. There is even a nice creek nearby for a quick bath courtesy of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap. Beck is baking biscuits while I write and soak up the sunshine. No bugs either!! How is that possible? Later we take a stroll on the flat and discover he tracks of bear, moose, deer, wolves, and heaps a waterfowl.

We are both ecstatic that we are having this experience together!

Thanks to all our friends and family for the support and comments. We love you!