Those Who Cruise the Northern Waters

Those Who Cruise the northern waters We’ve developed a huge amount of respect for the kind of people who make a journey like this, not as guests like we’re doing, but as a couple who captain and crew their own boat. The remoteness of much of the waterway makes it mandatory that anyone who expects to do this successfully must have a dependable boat (is there such a thing?) or set of skills Bob and Cathryn cannot ever imagine acquiring. Greg works on or repairs various components on the boat daily. He is a knowledgeable diesel mechanic, knows how to do wiring and plumbing, and is a jack-of-all-trades. He and Terry understand navigation, including information about water, tides, currents, wind and weather, and how they affect travel. They manage to balance their adventurous spirits with appropriate caution. In the 15 years they’ve been doing this, they’ve experienced an on-board fire, numerous storms, and frightening water and currents. They’ve often made this trip alone, without the aid of additional crew, which looks like a major under-taking to us due to the extended cruising time. Gold Rush has two electronic on-board systems – one Garmin and one NobleTec – with GPS data, navigation charts, radar, current charts and lots more we’ve yet to see and use. Our conclusion, based on this trip, is that we would not be comfortable making this kind of trip without someone with a great deal of experience on board, without at least trying a shorter trip first. Whether in a new or old boat, a break-down of any kind could result in being stranded, or even grounding on the rocks in a remote location with help very far away.