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We dropped anchor at 3:00 yesterday. Khutze Inlet is a 5-mile finger off Graham Reach, the main channel we’ve been traveling recently. At the far end is a spectacular waterfall over 1000’ high. Five boats anchored here for the night, and Greg and Bob dropped 2 crab pots and 1 shrimp pot right away. It was raining when we boarded the tender to take an exploratory journey up the Khutze River at the mouth of the inlet, so we bundled up in warm clothes, visors, rain gear and waterproof boots. To our astonishment, right off we began spotting eagles perched in the cedars and firs lining the mouth of the river, sometimes 2 or 3 to a tree. Cathryn started to keep count, and by the time we returned to Gold Rush, we’d seen 33 bald eagles perched in trees, on rocks or flying low overhead hunting for fish. Greg took us a mile up the river until the water was so shallow, about 3 feet, that he turned around. We saw many more than 100 seals along the way, sometimes surfacing near the boat and peering at us to see what’s up. Later in the evening, Greg and Terry taught us their favorite card game, called “65”, and the 4 of us played two rounds – fun!
The rain continued unabated throughout the night. This morning it’s raining again, and only reluctantly Greg and Bob took off in their raingear to pull the crab and shrimp pots. Only one crab found its’ way into the pots, which will make a nice omelet or appetizer tomorrow. We motored out of Khutze Inlet back to the main channel and headed north to Butedale, a tiny, almost-abandoned village at the south end of Fraser Reach adjacent to an enormous waterfall. It used to be a fish-packing camp, but was mostly abandoned some 50 years ago. The dozen or so remaining wooden buildings are collapsing into the sea with each successive winter storm. Only one resident remains, a caretaker who manages the very rustic dormitory-style warehouse where lodging can still be rented, floating dock and water supply pipe for boats passing through. Lou lives there year-round with his dog and cat. Various groups of volunteers have attempted to re-build Butedale during the past 2 decades, but each group eventually loses enthusiasm and moves on.
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We dropped anchor at 3:00 yesterday. Khutze Inlet is a 5-mile finger off Graham Reach, the main channel we’ve been traveling recently. At the far end is a spectacular waterfall over 1000’ high. Five boats anchored here for the night, and Greg and Bob dropped 2 crab pots and 1 shrimp pot right away. It was raining when we boarded the tender to take an exploratory journey up the Khutze River at the mouth of the inlet, so we bundled up in warm clothes, visors, rain gear and waterproof boots. To our astonishment, right off we began spotting eagles perched in the cedars and firs lining the mouth of the river, sometimes 2 or 3 to a tree. Cathryn started to keep count, and by the time we returned to Gold Rush, we’d seen 33 bald eagles perched in trees, on rocks or flying low overhead hunting for fish. Greg took us a mile up the river until the water was so shallow, about 3 feet, that he turned around. We saw many more than 100 seals along the way, sometimes surfacing near the boat and peering at us to see what’s up. Later in the evening, Greg and Terry taught us their favorite card game, called “65”, and the 4 of us played two rounds – fun!
The rain continued unabated throughout the night. This morning it’s raining again, and only reluctantly Greg and Bob took off in their raingear to pull the crab and shrimp pots. Only one crab found its’ way into the pots, which will make a nice omelet or appetizer tomorrow. We motored out of Khutze Inlet back to the main channel and headed north to Butedale, a tiny, almost-abandoned village at the south end of Fraser Reach adjacent to an enormous waterfall. It used to be a fish-packing camp, but was mostly abandoned some 50 years ago. The dozen or so remaining wooden buildings are collapsing into the sea with each successive winter storm. Only one resident remains, a caretaker who manages the very rustic dormitory-style warehouse where lodging can still be rented, floating dock and water supply pipe for boats passing through. Lou lives there year-round with his dog and cat. Various groups of volunteers have attempted to re-build Butedale during the past 2 decades, but each group eventually loses enthusiasm and moves on.
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