The smell of money and all things Nordic
Leaving our anchorage in Deception Point at the right time, we are well prepped to go north. Much is written about navigating the Wrangell Narrows, an aptly named narrow passageway connecting Frederick Sound with Sumner Strait and there are at least 60 channel markers to guide us. We caught the current timing to ‘ride the push’ which gave us three knots more of speed than our usual 5 knots while motoring. This frothy speed lasted almost two thirds of the way up the channel which is shallow waters along the way. The weather was mostly dry and it was an interesting trip compared to more mundane passages of navigation in open waters.
After fueling at a marine dock near the ferries, we ‘hot berthed’ in Petersburg into a slip at the marina vacated by a local fisher. We immediately understood what the locals call ‘the smell of money’. It’s fishy. Major outposts of Ocean Beauty and other commercial operations are here and the charming Nordic village has a prevailing wind of dead fish.
Walking Coco through the town, we caught a surprisingly cool Thai food cart with outside seating and marveled at the mix of old west with Norwegian heritage. Walked through Sing Lee Alley where ancient buildings from the early 1900s teeter on pilings and a cool bookstore now occupies an old 1929 boarding house. Sons of Norway lodge looks like a happening place for bingo on Fridays.
Breakfast at the best restaurant of our journey was enjoyed at the Salty Pantry where pastries with layers as light as tulle came with Parisian style greens and very good coffee. The weather prediction says we should leave by Thursday August 4, but with more boat repairs and other chores to do (and showers!) we may not leave for weeks.
We visit the very nice library for WiFi and to post this to our website and we may not have access to such luxuries until our way back to Wrangell in early September, so don’t think our lack of updates means we’ve hit a glacier. Because that is what’s next, a few weeks going further north chasing ice, then back to Petersburg and Wrangell and then home to harvest at the orchard. More to come!