We developed pretty close friendships with other cruisers during our many trips through the South Pacific. We'd bump into the same boats again and again, share a beer with their crews, and discuss our experiences since the last time we met up. Often our cruising pals would have info on must-visit spots we didn't know about, or we'd have a cruising guide that they didn't. There are some real characters out there as well, and it was fun to get to know them.
The Thankful crew is starting to build similar relationships with other cruisers here in Alaska. The rest of the summer cruising fleet from Washington and British Columbia is beginning the migration toward home, as we are, and the same boats are appearing over and over.
We are currently tied to the dock in Wrangle behind two sailboats who's crews we got to know in Petersburg. All three crews were eating breakfast in a cafe in Petersburg a few days ago when Matt overheard the skipper of one sloop telling a story to the other skipper. "... and then the U.S. customs guy asked me, 'Are you Thankful?' I wasn't sure what he was asking me. Turns out 'Thankful' was the name of a boat!"
Wait a minute. Matt had heard this story before, so he turned and looked at the speaker. He recognized the skipper as one he'd shared a laugh with in Ketchican as both boats entered the country together from Canada while heading north a month or so earlier.
Yesterday afternoon we ran into the younger sailing couple, an accountant and baker from Victoria, B.C., on the street here in Wrangle. They told us about a good place here in town to eat, and we saw them later in that restaurant having dinner with the couple from the other sloop.
After dinner we spent some time talking to the double handing husband-wife crews from both boats on the dock. We are all following a similar voyage plan south, so we will likely keep seeing each other.
As we walked back from dinner out last night, we took a detour through the boat yard where yachts and working boats were out of the water being repaired. There we found "Hula Girl", a boat we tied up in front of on the floating dock at Baranof Hot Springs three weeks ago. Both propeller shafts had been removed. The gossip from our sailing pals was that the woman skipper, who Lori offered to teach hula at the hot spring, was apparently more focused on finding pot to smoke at the time than getting her boat fixed. Hmmm. The yachting community is certainly an interesting one.
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