Alaska
June 22nd, 2010, Sitka, Baranov Is, Alaska
Well time to relax and catch up on life for a week while we await our next guests, Pete & Sal O'Brien from Coffs Harbour, in NSW.
Sitka scenery
Pete sailed with me alone from Port Macquarie to Hobart in Tasmania last year and we got on like a house on fire, added to this he is a master chef. We saw scenery as good as we have here presently in Alaska, so Pete has surely won the quinella.
Had some pleasant cocktails and dinners with new friends found along the way and visited the Chanell Club and Ludwigs with them, which are two fine restaurants.
The other night we celebrated Diane Heirshbergs birthday party by attending a string quartet recital which is a part of the Sitka Musical Festival held each year since 1973, and the artists they have are at the top echelon in the world. They come because they love the place for its quirkiness and beautiful scenery, and included violinist Ik Hwan Bae, celloist Jeffery Solow, and the brilliant young violist, Jennifer Strumm.
The next night we celebrated Stanley Heirshbergs birthday at a Mexican restaurant. Tthe food was too far from Mexico to be relevant I felt, and Brit Henry and I despatched our vittles to the garbage can.
We had a nice opportunity last night to visit with Doug & Stephanie on their beautiful Nordhavn 76, "TANGO" slipped close to us. Also Patrick and Miriam on their Selene 55 "SPIRIT", and Bob and Dianne on their Ocean Alexander "Journey"
Marg has just done a freezer inventory update, and we could almost cross the Pacific back home with what we have, and the supplement of much seafood acquired recently, so Pete the master chef has all the tools he needs.
We are backtracking a bit to Tracy Arm to see the Sth Sawyer Glacier just for their sake before heading south, and after a bit of a linger in the BC Broughtons, should get into Seattle or Victoria quite a bit earlier than our original plan.
Marg and I both are looking forward to the family pleasures (including Elliot our dog).
I expect an exciting period in the business for about a month preparing to open our new flagship store in Sydney, then onto the next adventure of a Pacific crossing next March/April to get our truly fabulous boat back to her new permanent home (first one ever) in Hobart, Tasmania.
This will give us more miles under the keel than circumnavigating the whole world in just over three years, but plan to continue cruising the rest of the world on chartered boats, with someone else planning the itinerary, changing the oil, and serving the cocktails for a change.
We have deserved it we feel.
