South OZ Adventurers - Adventure, Travel, Expeditions

South OZ Adventurers


Thorne Bay and Meyers Chuck

With a population of only a few hundred, Thorne Bay is situated on the east coast of Prince of Wales Island. It is home to one of the best grocery stores in Alaska, a unique and well stocked shop with plenty of fresh and organic foods, and a wide range of products when it comes to international food choices. It was a nice change. With our expanded menu options we lashed out to try a 'new' brand of granola bar!!

A local kayak guide from the town of Craig, and a random 'Jay' from Bellingham helped transport us and our equipment across Prince of Wales Island. They mentioned something about needing a day off from fishing????!!!!Totally Alaskan style. Thanks guys for your help, would have been another 10 day paddle around the south of Prince of Wales Island to achieve what we did in an hour.

With our kayaks full of new supplies we departed from Thorne bay and headed for Union Bay to meet a friend I had met a year earlier whilst climbing in Yosemite. 'Stevo' had actually helped to inspire this expedition and make it become more than just an idea.

Knowing that a weather change (gale force winds and rain for 3 days) was due later that night, we took on the challenge of crossing the natorious Clarence Strait. Resourcing local information gave us the 'heads up' about the crossing. With an late 5pm on water departure Lachie and I paddled away from Thorne Bay and passed an expansive population of floating houses situated in their own secluded bays. Definately unique to this part of Southeast Alaska. As we headed into Clarence Strait, we both paddled and looked concerningly at one another. The winds had definatelty lifted through this wide crossing and we had local influence and stories now that had obscured our own sea experiences.

With Lachie abusing me as I did him (those anxious times of trying sail and stay upright in choppy beam seas)...we managed to get a few awesome photos of this sunset. We made the crossing under sail in great time and rounded the Meyers Chuck/Union Bay tip with style due to the sails. With dusk around us and dark approaching, we arrived on a local house and ventured in to ask of the where abouts of Stevo's cabin. Not quite sure of which cabin we were exactly after, they offered us their fire arm and we continued towards "Black Bear" creek (the name says it all!) Lachie and I soon discovered that our original plan for findng steveo was not going to work at this particular moment, but knowing that he was landing at 1 pm the following day via float plane, helped our random plan in this random Alaskan bay! Anyways, we could always set up camp.

About 2Nm into the Bay, we were paddling in the dark and pulled up alongside an anchored trawler ISIS! Isis became our saviour as we were invited to spend the night onboard this local boat. Their hospitalitlity (toasted cheese sandbos and clam chowder - yum!) was totally appreciated and made our adventure even more interesting. The night was filled with knowledge of the local area and stories from a lifetime of fishing throughout Southeast Alaska. The owners of Isis were locals who had just built their own home with their own creative hands, falling all of their own logs, absolute hard work in this remote area. So while sleeping happily onboard the comfortable Isis, we rested and awoke to freshly brewed coffee and fired up for an early morning departure. Union bay, despite its population of perhaps 12 people....if you know the right people it can work well. We found Steve later the following morning, thanks to the grapevine word from Isis. He had also flown in a day early due to the approaching weather.

Sailing our kayaks towards Stevo's cabin, we decide to drop the fishing lure.........yes....true to Alaskan fishing form it proved way too easy and sussessful! Lachie caught his own humpy(salmon) and it wasn't shy of good form either! Later we dined on the delicious local Slivers (salmon).

Steve, Lachie and I hung in Union Bay for 4 days and talked of the local icon (Benny) and cruised around in a powered dingy, exploring local areas and building more dreams. It was an awesome time to spend with friends and time away from the constant paddling and consuming lifestyle of this adventure.

Thank you Steve for inspiring this journey and following up to expirence part of this with us! Love your ENERGY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kimbo