Pacific Northwest
Known for its icy
blue waters and a rugged, tree-lined coastline, the Pacific Northwest offers
much more than scenery to the yacht charterer. From bird watching to dining, from
flight-seeing to fishing, experiences aplenty await.
For those beginning their cruise at the southern end of the range, the two most
popular ports of embarkation are Seattle and Vancouver, thriving cosmopolitan
cities that deserve exploration. Both the "Emerald City" and Canada's
Vancouver, considered one of North America’s most elegant cities, feature
spectacular natural maritime settings against a towering mountain backdrop.
Some of the best cruising can be found between the two cities. This is the
Sunshine Coast of the Pacific Northwest, known for above-average temperatures
and safe anchorages. A must stop is Victoria, at the southern tip of Vancouver
Island. In this faded outpost of Empire, an intimate charm resonates in
traditions such as afternoon tea at the Empress Hotel.
The majestic 1,000-mile Inland Passage
connects this area and other coastal communities to Skagway, just north of
Juneau. Protected by off-shore islands and tempered by the Japan current, during
its brief summer this maze of deep channels, quiet bays and forested islands
forms one of the world’s most interesting cruising grounds. Tracy’s Arm,
Desolation Sound, the Queen Charlotte Islands and many other beauty spots are
much the same as when viewed by Captain Vancouver 200 years ago.
Magical moments come fast and often in Alaska – an enchanted land of stunning
grandeur. Any given day here might include whale encounters, pine trees thick
with mist, blue icebergs calving off mountainous glaciers, and waterfalls
cascading from sheer granite cliffs and snow -capped mountains.
Ketchikan provides a fine first glimpse of Alaskan life. Squeezed between
mountains and a narrow arm of the sea, the town is surrounded by verdant
wilderness without highway or railway connection to the rest of the world.
Ketchikan is the jumping-off point to Misty Fjords National Monument.
Sitka, the gem of Alaska, became known as the “Paris of the Pacific” for its
lavish balls during Russia's ownership of the territory. Here, the onion domes
of Orthodox churches mingle with the totem poles of ancient and complex Tlingit
Indian cultures. Sitka is surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty. To the east
are snow-covered mountains; to the west, the waters are broken up by myriad
small, forested islands that form ragged silhouettes at sunset.
Nearby Wrangell, Skagway and Haines
were founded by gold-hungry prospectors. Wrangall sits on the edge of the huge
Tongass National Forest, currently one of North America’s largest wilderness
areas. At the head of Lynn Canal, with its hundreds of waterfalls, is the
five-block-long town of Skagway, the “Gateway to the Klondike.” Elsewhere,
tiny settlements dot the islands.
At the north end of the Passage lies Glacier Bay National Park. It is an area of
spruce forests, bare shores and dramatic fjords. The blue-green bay, with its
floating ice castles, is a place of exceptional beauty. Sixteen active tidewater
glaciers offer a spectacular show of geologic forces in action. The best, John
Hopkins Glacier, is so active that yachts are kept about two miles from its face
to avoid getting in harm's way as new-born icebergs crash into the sea.
At every turn is Alaska’s legendary abundant wildlife. Humpback whales, many
almost 50-feet long, may breach alongside your yacht. Distinctive fins of black
and white Orcas cut through the water. Large colonies of basking sea lions and
seals line the rocky points and capes, their barks punctuating the stillness.
Rafts of up to 60 sea otters chatter away, like old gentlemen on park benches,
as you cruise by. Bald eagles establish constituencies along the shore. Salmon
flash silver and red against the green and black of the deep, as they begin
choking the river with their spawning runs from late July. And if you’re
lucky, you’ll catch sight of a brown bear rambling down to the shore to feast
on those very salmon.