A Paddling Expedition to Circumnavigate Baranof Island in Southeast Alaska

In the summer of 2008, along with friends Kris and Leslie Dressler, Dave and Michelle paddled around Baranof Island starting at Sitka. Baranof Island is covered in temperate rain forests, with rocky cliffs meeting the water’s edge in some places, protected bays and inlets all around, and towering snow-capped mountains peeking through the clouds on the eastern side. We enjoyed a cool summer while paddling around Baranof Island from Sitka back around to Sitka. And while it was one of the coolest and wettest on record, we were treated to several glorious days of sun–enough to dry out now and then and keep our motivation going.

Kris and Leslie really added to our trip, and the days spent waiting out wind and storms were much more fun with their company. We played countless games of scrabble, hearts, spades, and euchre while telling stories and laughing (sometimes commiserating about the weather). We had interesting conversations over dinner and I think we each learned some things from each other. They were really the best company we could have asked for.

The Route

We took our time on this trip, enjoying the camping and scenery as much as the paddling. We spent about three weeks paddling north from Sitka Sound through protected waters, including Olga Strait, Neva Strait, Kakul Narrows, Sergius Narrows (via Canoe Pass), Peril Strait to Point Thatcher, and then down Chatham Strait to Port Alexander.

We spent eight days waiting in Port Alexander for storms to pass. There were gale-force winds building 16-foot seas down around Cape Ommaney–an exposed point with open-ocean swell meeting huge tides coming out of Chatham Strait. We had to wait for a calm day to even attempt rounding Cape Ommaney. Meanwhile, Kris and Leslie were watching the days count down to the time they’d have to get on a Ferry in Sitka to go back to civilization and their life back home. On July 29th, we sadly waved goodbye to Kris and Leslie as they took a boat from Port Alexander back to Sitka. They would have time to enjoy a few days of paddling around Sitka Sound before getting on the ferry and eventually heading back to Chicago, where Kris was set to start graduate school and Leslie would start a new year of teaching.

From Port Alexander, Dave and I rounded Cape Ommaney and continued through open waters and exposed coast along Baranof’s southwestern side to the relatively protected waters of the Middle Channel in the Rakof Islands. From there we stayed inside protected waters since I was struggling with sea-sickness, taking Windy Passage and Hot springs Bay (stopping at Goddard Hot Springs) and continuing to Sitka Sound.

 

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