Eventful to Uneventful



Passing thru islets to reach backside of Stephens Island

Qlawdzeet Anchorage, Stephens Island

After our hair-raising crossing of Hecate Strait, we found a passage through the islets and took shelter behind Stephens Island in Qlawdzeet Anchorage.  We discovered a sailboat anchored here as well and several small fishing boats anchored in the inner harbor.  Exhausted from our intense hands-on steering, we went to bed early around 7:30pm.  We departed the following morning after a leisurely breakfast, this time in the fog but with benign seas of 1-2 foot chop and made our way north along Chatham Sound.  

Green Island Lighthouse, Chatham Sound

The fog started to lift as we approached the beautiful lighthouse on Green Island which stands proudly on a rocky islet.  We would soon be approaching U.S. waters located just north of Dundas Island; at noon we entered “Dixon Entrance,” the open body of water that separates northern British Columbia from Southeast Alaska.  The seas in Dixon Entrance held 3 foot swells at consistent intervals, rocking us gently as we crossed at a slight angle.  

Bullhead Cove, Alaska

Due to office hours for customs clearance, distance for travel, or weather, boaters can call U.S. customs for permission to anchor overnight at Foggy Bay or Bullhead Cove on the Alaskan mainland before arriving in Ketchikan to clear customs the following day.  

Bullhead Cove, Alaska

We called Customs indicating that we preferred Bullhead Cove and provided our documentation over the phone.  Continuing northwest, we headed up Revillagigedo Channel in light 1-2 foot chop behind Duke and Annette Island.  At 3:50pm (2:50pm Alaska time) we entered Bullhead Cove and anchored for the night - an uneventful day.