Log Entry: Monday, May 24th, 1999

Brundige Inlet to Ketchikan. 56 nm

Rain. Less wind.

Up at 5:30. We prepared to leave. Jambo III left 20 minutes before we did.

We left around 6:30, and crossed the Dixon Entrance: calm seas (1 to 2 meters), rain, winds variable.

The seas rolled all the way across, and most of the way up the Revillagigedo Channel.

As we approached Ketchikan, the sun came out!

We found the Ketchikan Yacht Club, but couldn’t find the phone number to call, which was supposedly prominently displayed. So, we took a slip in the marina at the Thomas Basin. Did two three-point turns in the basin before we got ourselves sorted out, one of them amongst a gaggle of kayaks!

We contacted Customs&Immigration, and were instructed to come up to their office. We did the 10-minute walk, were given a cruising permit with no problems, then went to Immigration. Jane was asked where her visa was. We had thought that the normal visa, purchased when we drove endlessly back and forth between Bellingham and Vancouver, was sufficient, but no: now Jane needed a full visa. This was an unpleasant surprise, as the lady said that she would have to deny Jane entry unless she had a visa. Luckily, Jane had a 10-year visa in her old passport, obtained before the rules had changed (Irish citizens entering the US under normal circumstances can now purchase a visa at the border; however, coming into Alaska by private vessel is not considered normal). We walked back to the boat, got the old passport, walked back to the Immigration office, Jane flashed the visa, and was promptly allowed entry. Whew!

We are docked in the shadow of two cruise ships: on smaller, and one enormous (Jubilee). We have no power, but that’s OK. We ran the generator earlier, to charge things (main batteries, computer batteries, cellular phone battery, camcorder batteries …), and to get some heat, but for some reason the heating system wasn’t working. We’ll fix it tomorrow …

We went shopping. What a mistake! We found a store (Tongass Trading Company) that sold stuff we wanted: waterproof gloves; insulated XtraTufs; an electric blanket; an Alaskan fishing license; film.