It's Friday night and we're all set for Wade's inspection in our hotel room.  When he arrived we chatted awhile, then Wade said, "I don't need to look at this stuff, Chris remembers all about it" and left.  I hoped he was right about Chris - there are no REI stores out there.  He was.

Chris:  "It’s nice to know that a guy I’d only spoken to on the phone and through email has more confidence in me than Dad.  I mean, we’re talking about reading a short list of gear and packing it.  Not exactly decoding the human genome.  Dad forgot to bring socks, by the way."

Before eight Saturday morning in downtown Anchorage, waiting for Wade to pick us up.  See that little blue bag next to Chris?  That's called a "dry bag", and all my clothes, camera, book, toiletries - everything on the gear list - has to fit in that bag.  The green one is Chris's dry bag.

Now we're in Whittier, loading the last of the five kayaks onto the charter boat that will take us to our drop off point.  All our stuff is stuffed under the benches inside.

To get to Whittier from Anchorage, you drive down the Turnagain Arm, then go through a ten mile or so one lane tunnel built for the railroad, the only way to get to Whittier by car.  Cars are allowed through in each direction only 15 minutes per hour.  The other two 15 minute periods are used to ventilate the tunnel since there are no ventilation shafts (what must it have been like in the old days going through the tunnel behind a coal-driven steam engine?).

Cruise ships to Anchorage evidently come through Whittier, then the passengers are bussed to Anchorage.  You can see the stern of a big cruise ship on the left.

Chris: " The tunnel is operated by the residents of Whittier, which according to a number of Alaskans take their responsibility a little too seriously, earning the nickname “Tunnel Nazis”.  As Dad mentioned, you only have the opportunity to go in a certain direction 15 minutes per hour.  If you miss your time, you wait an hour.  Since the only people who go to Whittier are either seriously lost or trying to catch a boat, you can imagine this can create problems.    We were there on time."

The light colored building in the middle is where most everyone in Whittier lives.

Chris:  "Apparently 70% of Whittier residents live in this building, which I find extremely weird.  A community of less than 1000 people and they all live in a high rise.  We were there in mid-morning so I think we missed the Gregorian chanting and ritual killings.  The mountains in back of the commune apparently block a lot of the weather coming out of the sound, so residents in Anchorage are much more likely to enjoy good weather leading to the expression 'It’s always shittier in Whittier.'"

We met our boat captain from Epic Charters, loaded our kayaks and gear onto the boat and headed off to Knight Island.

Goodbye Whittier, we're on our way!

Chris:  " My shoe!"

There are the three guys we're traveling with (and the back of the charter boat captain).   See below for a proper introduction.

Our drop-off point.  The charter boat has been unloaded and left.  It was a bit of a weird feeling for me - I've never been totally isolated from civilization for a week before.  The guys are packing the kayaks with all of our stuff.

Time to meet the crew.  The one on the right is Wade Willis who is our guide and owns the outfit (http://www.alaskavisionquest.com).  We soon would know his views of the world.  Next to him is Carl Ohls who is on this trip as Wade's guest in thanks for working on Alaskan environmental issues.

That's Brad Fidel between Chris and me.  Brad had just hired on to guide groups for Wade, so this was his indoctrination trip to become versed in the ways of Wade.  Brad, also an avid outdoorsman, has been a guide operating out of Valdez.  (Pic by Wade)

Even before we left the drop-off point, Carl was exploring.  Here he holds up a bit of fishing net that washed ashore.  We were to find many pieces of broken commercial fishing gear.  (Pic by Wade)

The dynamic duo finally on the water after all of the planning and anticipation.  With all the gear on, it doesn't really look like us, does it?  Especially me with my Seattle Sombrero and two-week beard.  (Pics by Wade)

Chris:  "I don’t know who that salty dog on the left is but that guy on the right is downright good looking!!!"

My home for many hours a day the next six days.  (Pic by Wade)

That's Chris looking at Knight Island.

Chris:  "Which way to Texas?"

Coming across the top of Knight Island, Montague Island in the distance

Chris:  "Note that Dad is already falling behind…."

Montague Island with Green Island in front of it.

Chris:  "Dad’s fallen so far behind that we’re not even in the picture anymore.  I think off in the distance you can see me setting up camp."

So we were up before 7, motored to Whittier, loaded the charter boat, traveled a couple of hours to our drop-off point, unloaded the boat, loaded up the kayaks, received our kayaking lessons, and then paddled for miles.  I was pretty proud of myself that I wasn't too tired (but a bit sore where the butt meets the boat) when we finally pulled to shore in the late afternoon to set up camp and have dinner.   A good day's work.  I was content.

Only one problem.  Wade announced this was lunch.

It doesn't look like late afternoon, but keep in mind the sun didn't set until 11 pm. and rose before 5.

Carl is engaged in another popular activity.

Back on the water.  Chris with Montague in the background - that's his sleeping bag and fleece jacket bungeed to the deck behind him.  This was unusually good weather even for this time of year.  You can see how warm it is, and no rain.  Chris and Perrin had rain all but one day on their trip.

When we finally did pull into a beach to camp, we saw these interesting star fish when entering the cove.

After carrying the boats up.  We just flopped, even Wade. 

It was never clear to me why we carried loaded boats up the beach in the evening then unloaded them, but in the morning didn't load the boats until we carried them down the beach.  I'm sure there was a reason - Wade didn't do anything without a reason - but I forgot to ask.

And the rocks weren't all.  This is what we had to cross to get to our tents.  You can see one back there, a little right of center.  Some of them logs moved when you stepped on them!  Nice soft grass though.  It was bear country (everywhere was bear country), so Wade kept his bear gun unpacked and ready next to him in the tent.

It's near midnight now.  Wade is checking the tide charts - note no flashlight - for the next day.  You can see it's gotten colder.  The fires were welcomed, especially later in the trip when the temperature dropped into the 40's at night..