JAMAL YACHT CHARTERS
Sample Itinerary
Sitka-Juneau-Skagway - 14 days
The following is a suggested sample itinerary. Depending on various factors such as weather, your interests, wanting to spend more time in some areas, we may not be able to visit all of the listed destinations. Also, travel times between destinations could change dramatically if we are whale watching or visiting seal/sea lion rookeries. We will begin watching for whales, dolphins, and bear as soon as we leave Sitka.
Day 1 - Sitka is the oldest and, what most people consider being, the most beautiful city in Southeast Alaska. If you want to fish, Sitka is the place. If you really want to catch fish, we can book a charter guide to take you out. They know where and when the salmon and halibut are running and what is being used for bait. Also, they will pack and ship your catch home if you wish. You will want to see the city and visit the National Historic Park, which is the site of a Tlingit Indian Fort and has a large collection of Haida and Tlinget totem poles. You will see many bald eagles at the marina. At times, they will roost on our mast.
Day 2 - We will leave Sitka and head toward Surgius Narrows. Our anchorage for the night will depend on the time of our arrival at Sergius Narrows. We need to arrive at or near slack water so we can safely navigate the rapids. We will anchor for the night in one of many coves such as Appleton, Deep Bay or Schultze. If the crabbing looks promising, we will drop the pots.
Day 3 - Baranof Warm Springs is a must. It has a huge, beautiful 100-foot waterfall and natural hot springs. We will take the boardwalk and trail to the lake and sit in the hot springs next to the falls. There is a 250-foot public float where we can tie.
Day 4 - Red Bluff Bay, one of our favorites, has probably the most spectacular combination of mountains, waterfalls and ice fields. We will anchor near a drying mud flat, known as Bear Meadow and watch for the bears. It is also a protected anchorage where we can kayak.
Day 5 - Cannery Cove, located on the east side of Admiralty Island, was the site of a cannery in the 1920s. It is a beautiful setting where we will crab and watch for bear feeding along the shore at low tide.
Day 6 - Snug Cove, located in Gambier Bay is another favorite. It is well protected from winds and is perfect for kayaking as well as bear watching. Gambier Bay has many small coves among the islets and reefs and is worth exploring.
Day 7 - On the way to Windham Bay, we will cruise by Sunset Island, the home of a sea lion rookery. We should see hundreds of sea lions on shore and in the water. Once in Windham Bay, we will drop the crab pots and anchor opposite a beautiful meadow and watch for bear. There is an old fish camp in the area. We can ask the Windham Bay hermit to take us on a hike to the caves and pan for gold.
Day 8 - Tracy Arm has the North and South Sawyer glaciers at its head, 26 miles from the entrance of the Arm. Both of these are calving glaciers. We will wind our way (carefully) through the ice flows and icebergs scooping up glacier ice for the ice chest. The scenery is beautiful with steep rocky walls and waterfalls on both sides of the arm. We will take almost the full day for the trip up and back depending on how long we remain at the glaciers. We will anchor in No Name Bay for the night and watch the ice bergs float by.
Day 9 - Juneau, Alaska’s capital is the largest and most cosmopolitan city in Southeast Alaska (population of 29,000). You may want to spend part of the day or stay overnight to see the city, look through the gift shops, take the tour to Mendenhall Glacier, and have a drink the Red Dog Saloon. Or, we can leave and anchor in a cove near town called Admiralty Cove.
Day 10 - Head north into Lynn Canal toward Haines and picturesque Skagway. On the trip through Lynn Canal we will see high jagged peaks, snowfields and hanging glaciers that are beyond comparison. We will be cruising in the high-latitudes and witnessing world-class scenery. If the winds are light, we may anchor at Shikosi Island Bight. This bight is picturesque with great views and, at times, the rocks are covered with seals.
Day 11 - On our way to Haines and Skagway, we will enjoy the scenery while whale watching and eventually anchor in one of several scenic coves such as Rescue Harbor, Bridget Cove or Echo Cove.
Day 12 - Continue to cruise up Lynn Canal to Haines, a town at the outlet of the Chilkat River. It is surrounded by ice-capped mountains whose glaciers spill down into Lynn Canal. Along the Chilkat River there is the 48,000-acre Alaska Bald Eagle Preserve that has a population of nearly 4,000 eagles--the largest gathering of eagles in the world. If there is not room at the dock, we will anchor in adjacent Portage Cove.
Day 13 - The historic town of Skagway is a must. It is situated in a valley between majestic mountain ranges. The town now has a population of about 700 and dates from the late 1890s when the population was 20,000 people. It was the starting point for the miners to head north during the Klondike gold rush. You can tour the restored historic district with its shops, galleries and museums and, if you wish, ride the famous White Pass and Yukon Railroad. The route is 111 miles long and extends from the Skagway Valley to White Pass and across the international boundary to Whitehorse, the head of navigation on the Yukon River.
Day 14 - Disembark after a true life experience and exciting adventure. (Because of the above listed considerations, we may not arrive in Sitka until day 14.)
Charter itineraries are customized to suit our guests. Cruising areas can be added or subtracted as can the number of charter days.