Wonderful sparkling clear and calm weather today, perfect for motor boating. This morning we shot out of Red Bay at ten knots with the outgoing tide and into Sumner Strait. We carried the tide down to Port Protection where I tied up to a public float.
Port protection is a small place, just a base for fishing really. The harbour is well protected and the name was given after the Chatham and Discovery sheltered there from a severe storm in Sumner strait. I was invited to have a beer with the fishing guys but declined as I needed to get a bit further down the track today. Drinking with fishing guys would have led to another night tied up.
On leaving Port protection we headed south down Sumner Strait towards El Capitan Passage. I know this is the wrong direction for Glacier Bay but I have time, the Glacier Bay permit starts on the 9th July. This part of Alaska is not on the inside passage route and not that well visited so worth a look. I don’t quite know how I am going to get back north yet; I expect the weather will have a say.
Image credit. secure.defenders.org
Since starting the voyage I have been on the lookout for Sea Otters. Today I saw the first ones and they were everywhere. They are really interesting to watch and don’t seem at all frightened of humans. I had three by the boat playing around, floating on their backs while cracking sea urchins on their chests.
They are very cheeky characters and much bigger close up than I expected. I had a whale surface quite close in front of the boat this afternoon, I thought about slowing down but at five knots we are pretty slow anyway. Total voyage distance 883.4 miles.
Logged 7th June 2016
The Adventures of Captain Ray Penson 
Hi ray you didn’t have to go to Alaska to see a water otter! I’ve got one in my airing cupboard and I can look at it any time!
Safe journey enjoying your blog
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