[Paddlewise] day trip report

Date:  Sunday May 2
Location: Gastineau Channel, Juneau Alaska
Weather: 36-42F, Wind from the S-SE 10-20 mph, Light rain

  It was another grand spring Sunday in Southeast Alaska, cold and rainy.
Having lived here for while I know that it's no use trying to wait for
better weather, you just have to go do it no matter what the weather.
  Load the Skerray onto the top of the Cherokee - the new Hully Rollers make
a once difficult task much easier! (thanks Edward!).  Run back into the
house to call a friend and leave a float plan.  Head south to Douglas
Harbour for the put in.  The harbour is protected from the wind, but the
weather radio has me prepared for the winds that I'll be facing today. Met a
friendly Lab hanging around the put in, probably owned by one of the
live-aboard folks in the harbour. 
  The paddle out of the harbour was quick and calm - although I did disturb
a few Buffle Heads that were rafted up.  Turning the corner and heading down
the channel separating Douglas Island from the mainland puts me right into
the wind as it is funneled into the approx mile wide channel.  I think
briefly about the Paddlewise discussion regarding feathered vs. unfeathered
paddles and dig away with my personal favorite unfeathered paddle.  It _is_
all about what you get used to.
  The rain actually turns to snow for a while and this lone paddler is
outraged at the injustice of snow falling in May!  Occasional breaks in the
low clouds reveal that the snow line really is at about the 1000' level.
The back country skiers have fresh snow this morning! 
  Take a quick break on shore to eat something and stretch a bit.  There are
a few people who live along the shoreline here and I'm careful not to
intrude.  These homes are reachable only by boat or about a 2 mile hike from
the road end.  Most of these people live here year round.  The daily hike
sure would help keep a person fit!  A quick trip down to the corner grocery
just doesn't work here.
  Waterfowl are everywhere, Pacific Loons, GoldenEyes, Guillemots, etc.
They all seem to be a bit spooky, lifting off when I paddle within 50-75
yards.  I'm paddling against the tide and into the wind so it's slow going
and I hug the shoreline trying to take advantage of eddys and the trees.
There's always plenty to look at along shore too.  A bald eagle perched atop
a 10 ft high snag tolerates my approach until I'm only 20 or 30 ft away and
then swoops low, flying away directly in front of the bow - those wings look
huge!  I look at the wingspan in front of me and then at my paddle and
realize the bird's wings stretched further than my paddle.  Too rough to be
taking pictures, but it would have been a good one.
  Three hours into the paddle the tidal stream is really starting to pick up
and I decide to turn around take another break and head for home.  The
paddle back is much easier, wind and tide pushing me towards the harbour.
The waves are sometimes catchable for a quick surf, but troublesome
sometimes.  I much prefer paddling straight into them, the spray exploding
off the bow and sometimes washing the full length of the foredeck. 
  Finally back in the harbour and out of the wind, I play for a few moments
in the water and remember once again how nice it would be to get those latex
booties for the drysuit.  A good paddle, but it sure would be nice if it
Spring would finally get here with some warmer temps.

Dave Seng
Juneau, Alaska

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