The following trips are typical of those that we have taken in the past.
Juneau to Juneau
Day 1: Juneau to Taku Harbor. Leave Juneau (Auke Bay) by noon. Auke Bay is Juneau’s “second” harbor and is located close to the Juneau airport. After a short cruise, we arrive in Taku Harbor, site of an abandoned salmon cannery. Hike among the ruins, kayak in the bay, or fish from the fantail of the Gyrfalcon
Day 2: Taku Harbor to Holkham Bay. Today’s destination is Holkham Bay at the mouth of Endicott and Tracy Arms. In the afternoon, we will cruise up one of the arms and see glaciers, dodge icebergs, and look for humpback whales and baby seals resting on the ice while their mothers hunt nearby.
Day 3: Holkham Bay to Cannery Cove. Leaving the glaciers behind, we will cross Stephens Passage to Cannery Cove, one of the prettier anchorages on Admiralty Island, stopping to see a sea lion rookery on the way. We will arrive in the afternoon with time to kayak in the bay, or just relax on the fantail.
Day 4: Cannery Cove to Red Bluff Bay. Today’s cruise will take us around the southern tip of Admiralty Island to Red Bluff Bay on the western shore of Baranof Island. Red Bluff Bay is spectacular with numerous cascading waterfalls and sheer bluffs.
Day 5: Red Bluff Bay to Ell Cove. Continuing up the western side of Baranof Island, we may be lucky enough to anchor in secluded Ell Cove. In the afternoon, we can visit the nearby hatchery and perhaps see bears.
Day 6: Ell Cove to Tenakee Springs. Continuing north in Chatham Strait, we will pass several spectacular inlets with large cascades before arriving at our anchorage, and visit the quirky town of Tenakee Springs, and anchor nearby.
Day 7: Tenakee Springs to Funter Bay. We will continue our cruise north in Chatham Strait past the opening for Icy Strait to one of the two coves in Funter Bay where we usually drop a crab pot or two.
Day 8: Funter Bay to Juneau (Auke Bay). Our last day will take us to Auke Bay, with spectacular views of the Mendenhall Glacier on our way. Plan to stay in Juneau (airport or downtown hotel) and fly out on the morning of day 9.
Juneau to Sitka
Day 1: Juneau to Funter Bay.
We will depart from Auke Bay around noon. Auke Bay is Juneau’s second harbor, so plan on flying into Juneau on the night before our departure. It’s a short cab ride to Auke Bay from the airport. Our destination is Funter Bay. There are several isolated coves in the bay and a historical WWII cemetery. This will also be our first chance to drop the crab pots.
Day 2: Funter Bay to Hoonah. We will begin our passage south on Chatham Strait, heading west on Icy Strait to the small native village of Hoonah, where we will anchor for the evening, with time for a stroll through the town in the afternoon.
Day 3: Hoonah to Pavlof Bay. Today’s cruise takes us east on Icy Strait and then south on Chatam Strait past excellent whale watching waters to Pavlof Bay State Park, where we often see Brown Bears. There will be plenty of time in the afternoon to kayak, fish, or just relax.
Day 4: Pavlof Bay to Tenakee Springs. We will continue down Chatam Strait to the quirky village of Tenakee Springs. We will explore the town, walk the one road, and anchor in a quiet bay south of town.
Day 5 Tenakee Springs to Rodman Bay. We will enter Peril Strait and head to Rodman Bay, where in the past we have caught enormous Dungeness crabs.
Day 6 Rodman Bay to Deep Bay. Tonight’s anchorage depends on the timing of slack water in the Sergius Narrows. We may anchor in Deep Bay (north of the Narrows) or one of several anchorages south of the narrows.
Day 7: Deep Bay to Sukoi Bay. Tonight’s anchorage is a long, narrow bay with steep hills on both sides, with excellent kayaking.
Day 8: Sukoi Bay to Sitka. Our destination tonight - Sitka, with its history of Russian occupation, is truly fascinating. If you are on the cruise that arrives in Sitka on July 3, we strongly suggest that you stay over at a hotel in Sitka to enjoy an old-fashioned small- town Independence Day celebration, featuring a really great parade. If you are on the cruise that arrives in Sitka on in August, it is still worth an extra day after the cruise to explore the town (just no parade).
Sitka to Juneau
Day 1: Sitka to Sukoi Bay. Sitka, with its history of Russian occupation, is truly fascinating. We strongly suggest that you arrive in Sitka in time to enjoy an old-fashioned small- town Independence Day celebration, featuring a really great parade. The Gyrfalcon usualy departs Sitka on July 5 by noon, headed for Sukoi Bay, a long, narrow bay with steep hills on both sides, with excellent kayaking.
Day 2: Sukoi Bay to Deep Bay. Tonight’s anchorage depends on the timing of slack water in the Sergius Narrows. We will either stay in Deep Bay, or one of the anchorages further north.
Day 3: Deep Bay to Rodman Bay. Today we continue north in Peril Strait to Rodman Bay, where in the past we have caught the largest Dungeness crabs that we have ever seen (or eaten).
Day 4: Rodman Bay to Tenakee Springs. We will leave Peril Strait and head north on Chatam Strait to the quirky village of Tenakee Springs. We will explore the town, walk the one road, and anchor in a quiet bay south of town.
Day 5 Tenakee Springs to Pavlof Bay. Today’s cruise takes us to Pavlof Bay State Park, where we often see Brown Bears. There will be plenty of time in the afternoon to kayak, fish, or just relax.
Day 6: Pavlof Bay to Hoonah. We will continue our passage north on Chatham Strait past excellent whale watching waters and then head west on Icy Strait to the small native village of Hoonah, where we will anchor for the evening, with time for a stroll through the town in the afternoon.
Day 7: Hoonah to Funter Bay. Today’s cruise will take us across Chatam Strait to Funter Bay, with several small coves and a historical graveyard from WWII.
Day 8: Funter Bay to Juneau. Our destination tonight is Auke Bay, Juneau’s second harbor. It is a short cab ride from Auke Bay to the airport. Plan on spending the night in a hotel at the airport or in downtown Juneau and flying out tomorrow.
Day 1: Sitka to Deep Bay. Sitka, with its history of Russian occupation, is truly fascinating. We strongly suggest that you arrive in Sitka in time to enjoy an old-fashioned small- town Independence Day celebration, featuring a really great parade. The Gyrfalcon will depart Sitka on July 5 by noon and head through Whitestone, Kakul, and Sergus Narrows before anchoring in Deep Bay on Peril Strait.
Day 2: Deep Bay to Saook Bay. Continuing up Peril Strait (named after an outbreak of shellfish poisoning, not for navigational terrors), our destination Is Saook Bay, a short cruise with plenty of time to relax once we reach our destination.:
Day 3: Saook Bay to Baranof Warm Springs. We will exit Peril Strait and head south in Chatham Strait, on the west coast of Baranof Island. Our destination is the small village of Baranof Warm Springs, with plenty of time to soak in the geothermal pools while experiencing the spray from the nearby waterfall.
Day 4: Baranof Warm Springs to Red Bluff Bay. We will continue south along the coast of Baranof Island to Red Bluff Bay, a spectacular anchorage with numerous cascading waterfalls and sheer bluffs.
Day 5: Red Bluff Bay to Cannery Cove. We will cross Chatham Strait and cruise around the southern end of Admiralty island before arriving at Cannery Cove, one of the prettier anchorages on Admiralty Island.
Day 6: Cannery Cove to Sandborn Canal. On our way across Stephens Passage, we will circumnavigate the Brothers Islands with their large colonies of Stellars Sea lions, before continuing to Sandborn Canal, one of the hidden jewels of Southeast Alaska. It is a narrow fjord with good opportunities for wildlife, and very few other vessels.
Day 7: Sandborn Canal to Thomas Bay. We will cross Frederick Sound on our way to Thomas Bay, cruising to the mouth of Baird Glacier, before anchoring off Ruth Island, deep in the bay.
Day 8: Thomas Bay to Petersburg. Our last day will be a short cruise from Thomas Bay to Petersburg, a bustling fishing village worth exploring. You will catch your flight home out of Petersburg.