When Matt went in to check out with the Petersburg Harbormaster two nights ago, the crusty old Norwegian official stopped what he was doing, looked him in the eye over the top of his reading glasses, and asked, "You know it's forecast to blow 30 to 50 knots in Sumner Strait tomorrow, right?"
Matt replied, "Yea, we'll be alright," and completed the checkout procedure so we could depart at first light the next morning.
We knew the protected waters of Wrangle Narrows would be fine, but we weren't so sure about Sumner Strait. Fortunately, the worst of the low pressure system that was passing overhead did so while we were sleeping peacefully in Petersburg, and the weather improved all day yesterday. Thankful never saw more than twenty five knots out in the strait, and we were able to tuck in behind "Bushy" and "Shrubby" Islands for protection from the seas that come with winds that strong. We also timed our departure to take advantage of the tidal flow, and we had a couple of knots of help all day. Thankful arrived at Exchange Cove on Prince of Whales Island just after noon.
With most of the day still ahead of us, we launched the dinghy and set the crab trap out toward the end of the inlet. Salmon were jumping all around the cove and we all tried unsuccessfully to catch some. We even had time for an afternoon nap.
Matt and I checked the trap before sunset and found we had caught just a small flounder and a funny looking crab. It looked like a miniature version of a king crab. Perhaps it was a "prince" crab? We showed the crustacean to the girls, threw it back, and reset the trap in a different location.
The Thankful Cruise Program includes a nightly "entertainment" event for the crew. The rotation includes card games of golf and cribbage, scrabble, and movies when we have shore power. Last night the girls skunked the boys in cribbage. The men took the humiliation remarkably well.
The winds died off completely and the skies cleared as the sun set. We are starting to see a couple of hours of darkness at night now as Autumn approaches, and last night the sky was full of stars. I saw the North Star for the first time in two months, but it took a while to find it. I'm not used to seeing it in the upper third of the sky.
This morning Matt made some excellent spam musubi for breakfast. I think the lesser luxury cruise lines could learn a thing or two from the Team Thankful program.
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