Aleutians

 NOTES FROM A 2003 CRUISE.

The charts for the entire Aleutian chain are very accurate, no doubt due to the fact that these islands have been subject to a high US military presence over the past sixty years. We used C-Map electronic charts and found 100% accuracy with the natural features although nearly all the man made features (jetties, buildings, etc) shown on both the electronic charts and paper ones, no longer exist or are in the last stages of existence. All the following notes were made from a west to east cruise along the western half of the Aleutian chain in the summer of 2003. We were told that the summer of 2003 was the nicest summer weather-wise that anyone could remember.

These islands are prone to thick fog throughout the summer months. There are no supplies available until you get to Adak which is approximately 300 miles along the chain. Also one tends to do a lot of motoring. This is not just our experience but others we know that have also cruised along this group of islands. When it blows it really blows and so you tend to make the most of the calmer weather. Two things we didn’t have on board when we were in the Aleutians were a heater and radar. The radar we could have got along without easily enough although it would just have given us more piece of mind when in thick fog and passing blindly through a narrow entrance into an anchorage. This is where the C-Map, coupled up to our GPS and used as a plotter proved invaluable. Had we realized exactly the conditions, a heater would have been the best thing we could have added before going. Fog is wet and without a heater of some description you are going to finish up with everything being wet. We would climb into wet bunks after every shift or every evening at an anchorage. It was not until we cleared Dutch Harbour and dropped down into the Pacific that we finally got sunshine drying out weather. It is not only books, clothes and bedding that suffers but the dampness can also affect the electronics and electrics. However, we did it without a heater as many before us, and we’re sure many after us, will also do without serious mishap.

'Fine Tolerance' draws 2.2 meters. The auxiliary is a Perkins 4-107M with a two blade prop which pushes her along at around 4.5 knots in open ocean waters, using 3.5 liters of fuel per hour. Fixed fuel tankage is 135 liters which we supplemented with ten 20 liter jerry cans giving us a total of 335 liters of diesel on departure from Yokohama. We sailed direct to Attu without any engine use, and then used nearly the entire amount exploring the western islands. We had about 20 liters of fuel left when we reached Adak. The weather here is mainly either calms or blowing a gale. There is very little in-between and the usual course of action is to avoid the storms and motor to the next anchorage in the calmer spells. Seas can build up quickly with the storms but calm down equally as quickly after they have gone. There is very little swell in the summer months.

This is an area of stunning beauty, masses of birdlife and water life and a hugely diverse range of Fauna that exists in the tundra. There is also the absolute peace of finding oneself in such deserted safe anchorages. There are no trees or animals in the Aleutians other than the introduced rats. Foxes and also some caribou have been introduced onto some of the central and eastern islands. The hiking is superb with easy walking and magnificent views.

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