Ketchikan Arrival



Mountains seen from Revillagigedo Channel

Departing Bullhead Cove at 7:30am, we continued northwest along Revillagigedo Channel then entered Tongass Narrows, arriving at Ketchikan four hours later. 



Ketchikan

Ketchikan

With so much marine traffic in and around Ketchikan, arriving by boat is always an exciting affair – fishing boats and pleasure boats coming and going, seaplanes flying overhead, tugs with barges offloading supplies, and cruise ships that fill the harbor.   We contacted “Ketchikan Ports and Harbors” to receive our assigned dock space and as we maneuvered into our slip, Jim came over to help us with our lines; Jim and Anita had arrived in Ketchikan a couple days earlier, it was nice to see them again.  

Passing the Cruise Ships at Ketchikan

After securing our lines, we called customs and waited for our official onboard inspection.  Even though we had given our passport numbers and boat documentation numbers over the phone the previous day, the customs agent could not find the information in their “Foggy Bay Folder” – the bay which Customs allows for overnight anchorage before clearance in Ketchikan.  Because we had anchored in Bullhead Cove, the person who had taken our information failed to make a log of it in their Foggy Bay folder, the preferred or designated anchorage according to Customs.  

Ketchikan

Our customs agent was understanding and simply took all of our information again and after a friendly visit gave us our clearance number.  We joked how Ketchikan (pop 8,050; 13,500 in the borough) seemed like a huge metropolis after having been in remote locations for the last couple of months.  No complaints here, we appreciate the shops, entertainment, and major grocery chains so we can restock the galley and purchase any needed supplies.  Ketchikan is also a convenient location to receive shipments from the lower 48.  In fact our new “sender/sensor unit” was already waiting for us at Frontier Shipping.  

The old Sender/Sensor Unit

Leonard was anxious to pick up the package, so we hopped on our bicycles, picked up the package, and quickly rode back to the boat so he could install the new unit.  After installation Leonard started up the port engine; the gauge in the pilothouse showed the correct oil pressure.  Phew!  Leonard was happy that the issue had been resolved and was simply an electrical malfunction and not an engine/oil problem (see previous posts).