Where to begin

My, a lot has happened since our last post and I'm not sure where to begin. Lets start in Sitka where my niece, Jessica and her husband Dan, met us for a week long excursion into the inside passage. Our first stop was Appleton Cove after going through Serguis Narrows near the Peril Straits. Then, off to Warm Springs Bay where we tucked into a nice small anchorage where Jessica and Dan did a little kayaking (see picture above). From Warm Springs Bay, we hopped over to Cannery Cove where we spent an uneventful Fourth of July. Then onto Tracy Arm, Taku Harbor, and finally Juneau. We saw whales, more whales, and then more whales along the way. We found a sea lion rookery along the way as well. The only way to describe Tracy Arm is "magical". Pictures cannot come clost to depicting the blue in the icebergs with eagle catching a free ride in the wind. We will be headed back to this special place next week when Ann's sister and husband join us for a week.

Now, for the other side of the story. The engine has been acting up a little on us and its running speed (rpms) would drop noticably and then go back up. Not a big deal, unless it stops and then it is a really big deal. Well, about 5 miles from Juneau, that is eactly what happened. Fortunately, it started back up again. However, we have to have it checked out before we leave Juneau. I found a diesel mechanic who would come out today (Sunday) and take a look at it.
He was able to determine fairly quickly that we had a faulty lift pump which supplies fuel to our engine. He hopes to order the part in the morning and have us on our way late tommorow.

In the meantime, Ann took her sister and brother in law to the Mendelhall Glacier and downtown Juneau sovenier shopping today while I stayed behind to work with the mechanic.

All in all, a very successful time and experience on the water. I continue to think of Marks comment about the definition of boating which is "making repairs in exotic places". We've had enough boat problems to go a long way. Hopefully, we won't have any more.