The fridge and freezer are filled, and the dry goods and spares are stowed. Tonight we set off for Alaska.

Most summers we spend a bit of time between the northern tip of Vancouver island and the Alaska border. This year is a little different for two reasons. First, we’re heading further north than in the past and will spend some time in Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve. The second thing that makes this trip a bit different is, weather permitting, we’ll be making the nearly thousand-mile one-way trip as an offshore crossing. It’ll take roughly 5 days to cover the distance running 24x7 off the coast of British Columbia and Alaska.

You might ask why we would want to make the trip running 24x7 offshore when the shoreline of BC is one of the most beautiful in the world. It truly is wonderful and we do love the area. We’ve even written a book about it (Cruising the Secret Coast). We’re skipping the coast and heading directly to Alaska as a way to enjoy Alaska by boat when we really can’t get enough time off work to do the trip at a more conventional, relaxed pace. The other reason to run directly there is it’s a chance to try running 24x7 and see how it goes. Think of it as an ocean crossing with training wheels. If it gets unpleasant, we can always turn right and head to BC. And, it will be an adventure.

We’ll be back the first week of September. Have a good rest of your summer.