We've been running south through the swell off the west side of Chicagof Island today and will again tomorrow. Entering the Gulf of Alaska from Lisianski Straight is a bit of a trial by fire; even in mild conditions, the "protected" route turns left out of the straight and is immediately surrounded by rocks with waves breaking over them. Cool! We focused on the chart plotter and steered the route, appreciating the value of a good navigator, whether electronic or human.
Long ago I learned the three fundamental rules of boating that one should never forget: 1) always know where you are, 2) when in doubt stop the boat, and 3) umm… ok, I don't remember the third, but those two will usually do. It probably had something to do with being prepared.
It wasn't long ago that coastal location awareness was primarily determined by the bearings of sighted objects: when that point is to the northeast, I can start my turn; when my bearing to the lighthouse is 270, I'll add 30 to my course; and so on. It wasn't too difficult with ample preparation and it worked well. It still does. I can remember spending hours the night before getting it all sorted in my head, taking notes, annotating charts. There is not much in life that you can't nail by doing your homework.
Now I spend that time entering way-points on the chart plotter. It's quicker and a lot less demanding en route. Either way, it pays to be thorough; a mistake can be serious. It's also valuable to be able to use either method.
Today everything went smoothly. We followed a circuitous procession of way points between rocks and watched the waves crashing all around us. It was violent, chaotic, and serenely beautiful. The sun was out, the sky was blue, the breeze was light and it felt awesome to be out there. The swell was big and somewhat confused, so the boat rolled around loosely in a comfortable kind of way. Quijote seemed to be enjoying the feel of the sea and the ocean breeze as much as her crew.
Shortly before rounding the point into the bay where we would find flatter water for anchoring in Kimshan Cove, a Coast Guard cutter slid in a half hour ahead of us. They were apparently on patrol and using the bay to hang out in calmer waters. It is a comfort to know they're out there, especially in these places where no one else is.
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