Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 06:17:59 -0800
From: "Ky Stratton" 
Subject: [Paddlewise] Alaska

Merry Christmas everyone.

I need some advice/help from any/all of you out there that may have made 
an Alaska trip.
 
In March I turn 50 (ouch) and would like to go on a 5-7 day trip to Alaska 
on, primarily, a paddling trip.  Not quite sure the best time to go (I HATE 
MOSQUITOS).  Would like to see some glaciers, fjords, maybe do some fishing.

I have wanted to go to Alaska for years and think this would be a trip in 
a lifetime.  I don't necessarily need to camp out every night.  Matter of 
fact, I would prefer NOT camping out every night.

I would probably be taking my K-1 Feathercraft.
Any ideas, suggestions?  Anybody interested in going with me?  

If anyone has any literature on paddling trips, I would appreciate any an 
all help.  Thanks to all and Happy New Year.  Ky Stratton.



Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 08:42:24 -0900
From: David Seng 
Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Alaska

 If this is going to be the one and only trip that you ever make to
Alaska then certainly consider making Glacier Bay your destination -
glaciers, fjords, wildlife, and some of the most beautiful scenery
imaginable.  A good book on kayaking in Glacier Bay is "Adventure
Kayaking - Trips in Glacier Bay" by Don Skillman.  If you are
considering a trip to southern SE Alaska, Misty Fjords is a beautiful
area with fantastic paddling opportunities, but you won't see any
glaciers.
 If you're planning on making a trip to the northern part of SE Alaska
then one resource you might try is
www.adventuresports.com/asap/kayak/express - Peter Wright, the owner is
a good guy and well worth talking to.  Another web resource is the
Alaska Outdoor Registry - www.juneau.com/aor.  Southeast Exposure
(907-225-8829) is the name of an outfitter based in Ketchikan - they
guide trips into Misty Fjords. 
 Prince William Sound would be another beautiful area to visit - there's
a web page that might help start your investigation of that area at
www.alaska.net/~awss/index.html.
 In the SE region of Alaska mosquitoes aren't usually too bad when
you're on or near the water - but do some bushwhacking and you can
definitely run across some of our finer specimens.  Southeast Alaska
does not typically have the hordes of mosquitoes associated with summer
time in the Interior. 
 June is probably the nicest month to visit Southeast, but many of the
tourists feel that way also...  May typically is pretty nice and the
area isn't quite as inundated with tourists.  If you visit Southeast
Alaska be prepared for rain - but if you get a few sunny clear days you
may never want to leave!
 You could do nice day trips out of some of the major towns of Southeast
- - Ketchikan, Sitka, and Juneau (I know I'm leaving out some other very
nice places) all have interesting paddling for day trips and you could
stay in a B & B for some luxury "camping" and still only be minutes away
from the water.

Dave Seng
Juneau, Alaska