Mother Goose

In about a week, Bonnie, Eric, his friend Tracy, and I will be in Alaska on our maiden voyage through the southeast part of the state's waterways. I say maiden voyage because it's an experiment of sorts. The vision is to cruise on our own through the waters of Alaska in the future. Two questions need to be answered. Can we control our mutual OCD and ADHD long enough to sit on board the relatively confined space of a boat for extended periods, and will we have the experience necessary to navigate the many hazards, currents, weather, and potential mechanical issues to do so solo?

The lure, of course, is the incredible wildlife, open spaces, and rugged shoreline of Alaska. We'll be joining four other boats in a flotilla called Mother Goose, offered every year by NW Explorations, a Bellingham, Washington charter company. Our flotilla will be led by a very experienced captain and crew, complete with mechanic and a naturalist. That provides an opportunity to learn and practice good ocean seamanship and navigation skills, all the while accompanied by resources that can guide us through the area and handle any mechanical upsets.

We leave June 12 and return June 24 for nine days of actual boating. I intend to write some posts to this blog along the way. They may come in bunches since internet access is variable at best. Hopefully they'll be filled with pictures and stories of wildlife and beautiful landscapes, along with expert ship-handling.