Cordova to Beartrap Bay
/We arose to a nicer day than yesterday’s wind and rain storm. It was a calm morning and we maneuvered out of our slip on G dock at about 9am without issue, despite the 3 rafted Bow Pickers right behind us. While most of the fishing fleet was snug in the harbor, there were still lots of comings and goings as we headed out, and the fuel dock was very busy.
Rounding the harbor entrance into the channel we passed the Northwestern, of Deadliest Catch fame, moored at the fish processing plant. She looks small when you picture her out in the Bering Sea fighting gales to harvest her limit.
The Northwestern of The Deadliest Catch fame
We later learned that in the non-crabbing season she contracts out to be a fish gathering boat in the sound. The smaller boats off-load their catch into her and then return to fishing. Once full, the Northwestern then takes her aggregated load to Cordova to offload and then goes back out and does it again.
The weather is dead calm, and Karen drove most of the way while I did some boat chores and worked on pictures. We saw some sea otters and some Dalls porpoise, but they disappeared as soon as I went out to get a photo. While the sun is making an appearance in the open waters of Prince William Sound, clouds started to settle down over the mountain tops as we rounded Gravina point. So as we make our way into the fiords to our anchorage, I expect them to return to form a more gloomy sky.
Majestic Prince William Sound
As we made our way past Comfort Cove making 8 knots for Beartrap Bay, three Dalls Porpoise approached and began riding in our bow wave. We immediately went onto bow to take pictures, videos and to generally cavort with the Dalls.
Traveling companions play in our bow
They remained for what seemed a half hour but was probably half that. So long did they frolic at our bow that both Karen and I got a little bored and returned to the warmth of the cabin.
Telita had spent the night at Comfort Cove and was preceded us into Beartrap Bay. In fact, they arrived close to high tide, so that she had enough water to make it into the small cove at the head of Beartrap called Bear Paw Bay.
Beartrap has an easy but interesting entrance, and is gorgeous at the head, with steep mountains topped with craggy faces, as well as some treed mountains and a few waterfalls to boot. We passed a Bayliner headed out, probably back to Valdez. We hoped this meant that there would be no one in Beartrap besides Telita.
Our arrival a couple of hours later than Telita made the water in the approach to Bear Paw a little too skinny, so we were content to drop anchor at the head of Beartrap in about 22 feet of water. Even though the boats were less than a quarter mile apart, each was invisible to the other; so each crew felt as if they had the bay all to themselves.
The crew of Telita out exploring ion their dinghy
We explored the area around the island midway into Bear Trap Bay. Using the sounder on the dinghy, we looked for additional locations to anchor. Turns out there are lots of good candidates where you can tuck and drop the hook. We even found one shore where someone had installed a ring to facilitate securing a stern line. We enjoyed seeing some shallow caves and another waterfall.
What's in those caves?
Karen said, "I want to get closer"...So she got wet;)
Mother Nature did some sculpture in the rocks
Dinner was onboard; chicken stir-fry and wine. Dessert was aboard Telita: peach and apple crisp, courtesy of Alison aboard Telita and fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies from the oven of Karen.