Back to Thorne Bay II

We arrived back in Thorne Bay on Prince of Wales. Clouds collected around the island's peaks. It had been a long day. Up at 3:30 AM to check in at SeaTac. Drugged the dog and slipped him into his crate around 5:30 after TSA searched him for illegal substances. In 2 1/2 hours we were in Ketchikan. Waited at the ferry terminal with all our bags for a ferry at 3:30 in the afternoon. A couple of hours later we were at the ferry terminal on Prince of Wales. Kel had prearranged a taxi ride (yet another hour) around to Thorne Bay. 

Iolair was still floating and looked better than we expected - a bit lonely round here. Winter still has some teeth left in Alaska. We turned up the heat and fell into bed. Jay's travel drugs slowly wore off, and he seemed happy to be on the boat sleeping. The following day the sun peaked out. We got some coffee, went to the grocery store, and started getting the boat ready to depart for Wrangell.  Discovered a couple of nuisance leaks, but the engine fired up, and all the recommissioning went well. After 2 days, the boat was back up and usable. 

Left Thorne Bay for a brisk sail 20 miles across the Strait and up the sound to Frosty Bay. All the sails were flying and Iolair took off. It is always nice to be under sail, and we cut through the choppy waves moving down the strait at 7 knots in 15 knots of wind. In 5 hours - 1 boat. Actually, during the two days to Wrangell we crossed paths wih just two motor trawlers. Oh, and two humpback whales. Frosty Bay proved to be frosty. We stoked up the wood stove and burned all night long. All 3 of us were cozy and warm.