I thought I'd add a few more notes about PWS. I got several nice notes from people telling me they appreciated the trip update. Thank you. The Admiral read my posting and she thought that I understated the crossing. It's a pretty long crossing. Dixon Entrance and Cape Caution are a walk in the park compared to this crossing, but with the right weather it's like crossing a big lake. We did the crossing without stopping but you could stop in Lituya Bay, Yakutat and Icy Bay. Lituya to Yakutat is about 100 miles, Yakutat to Icy Bay is about 55 miles, then the long stretch from Icy Bay to Cape Hinchenbrook is about 170 miles. Those mileage estimates are probably a little bit short, but they're close. I know that a lot of people come up the CA/OR/WA coast. If you can do that, you can do this. Fuel is readily available. The fuel dock in Cordova is a bit rough. There is no dock, just the pilings on the pier. The Valdez fuel docks are very nice and easy to use. A couple of notes about Valdez. There is a security zone around the oil terminal (no more tours!) due to "the fear". There is a marine safety zone that I only heard about through other people. When you get close to the town of Valdez, stay on the town side of the two yellow buoys or you might get a visit from the CG. Also, stay 200 yards away from a tanker, even in the narrows or you will get a visit from the CG. The guy from vessel traffic told me that if the tanker calls you in, they are obliged to launch the boat and come talk with you. He implied that it wouldn't be a pleasant conversation. He said "you really, really don't want us to have to launch the boat" at least three times. I believed him after the first time! Being in PWS is like being in another world. If you're one of those people who have a hard time letting go, PWS will help you. Don't expect to read any fancy newspapers like the NY Times, WSJ or even USA Today. You'll have to settle for the Anchorage paper. On the bright side, you're in PWS so who cares about what is happening on the outside? I'd heard that moorage was tight in Seward and Whittier, and somewhat tight in Valdez. Cordova seemed to have a good deal of availability. Either way, there aren't that many transient pleasure boats so you shouldn't have much competition. That's it for now, if you have something specific you want to hear about, let me, know. I'm still not on the list (still on the sat phone) so if you want to comment please cc me. Also, you can see our sporadic log at http://meander.typepad.com Mike Harrington M/V Meander Sitka, AK