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Table of Contents
Introduction Part I
CHAPTER I History of Kayaking in Prince William Sound 3
THE CHUGACH PEOPLETHE SOUND'S ORIGINAL SEA KAYAKERS 3
The Baidarka 3
Hunting and Fishing 5
Clothing 6
Seamanship 6
Weather Forecasting 7
THE EUROPEANS 8
THE AMERICANS 9
CHAPTER 2 Land Ownership, Permits and Facilities 11
A BRIEF HISTORY OF LANDOWNERSHIP IN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
ALASKA NATIVE LANDS 16
CHUGACH NATIONAL FOREST 17
Forest Service Cabins: Cordova District 18
Forest Service Cabins: Glacier District 19
STATE MARINE PARKS
Port Valdez and Arm State Marine Parks 21
Cordova State Marine Parks 23
Port Wells and Vicinity Marine State Parks 24
Chenega Bay Area State Parks 26
OTHER LAND MANAGERS
CHAPTER 3 Camping in Prince William Sound
MINIMUM IMPACT CAMPING 27
Principles and Research 27
MINIMUM IMPACT CAMPING PRACTICES 29
Pre-Trip Planning 31
Personal Gear 32
Group Gear 32
Finding the Perfect Campsite 37
Setting up Camp 41
Staying Warm and Dry 42
Getting Dry 43
Black Flies, No-See-Umps and Mosquitoes 44
Bears 44
Brown Bears 45
Black Bears 46
Fresh Water Use 47
Personal Hygiene and Sanitation for Minimal impacts 48
Cleaning Up 49
Fire Etiquette for Minimal Impacts 50
Breaking Camp 51
CONCLUSION 52
RESOURCES 52
CHAPTER 4 Paddling Prince William Sound
INTRODUCTION 53
EQUIPMENT 53
Kayaks 53
Paddling Gear 54
Paddling Safety Gear 55
Radios 59
EPIRBs 59
Navigational Aids 61
Charts 61
Maps 62
Navigational Instruments 63
PADDLING AROUND WILDLIFE 65
PADDLING HARBORS AND AROUND MOTORCRAFT 66
USING AND CHOOSING CHARTER BOAT OPERATORS 68
CONCLUSION 71
EQUIPMENT AND RENTALS 71
CHAPTER 5 Rewards and Risks: Hazards in Kayaking Prince William Sound
Risk and Decisions Making 73
Ocean Conditions 74
Check the Weather Conditions 77
Topography 78
Human Factors 78
HAZARDS OF PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND 81
Weather 81
Low Pressure 81
High Pressure 82
Wind 82
Rain 84
Weather Forecasts 85
Waves 86
Impulse Generated Waves 87
Tsunamis 88
Waves from Calving Glaciers 88
Waves from Avalanche Chutes 88
Boat Wakes 88
Wind Waves 88
Waves and Topography 90
Currents 91
Tidal Currents 91
Skookumchucks 91
Rip Tides 94
Currents near Glaciers 94
Points and Shallow Water 95
Shallow Water and Submerged Moraines 96
Glaciers 98
Hiking on Glaciers 100
Paddling Through Floating Ice 101
Marine Mammals 103
EMERGENCY RESPONSE 106
Pre-Trip Planning for an Emergency Response 106
The Emergency Response 107
Typical Injuries and Illnesses 107
Hypothermia 108
Heat and Sun 109
SUMMARY: RISKS AND REWARDS 112
RESOURCES 112
INTRODUCTION PART II 114
CHOOSING A ROUTE 114
DEPARTING PORT CITIES 116
CHAPTER 6 Trips from Whittier 117
PLACES AND PHONES FOR WHITTIER 119
DAY TRIPS 121
ATTRACTIONS OF PASSAGE CANAL 121
WHITTIER #1: SOUTH SHORE TO SALMON STREAM 121
WHITTIER #2: SOUTH SHORE TO EMERALD COVE 122
WHITTIER #3: KITTIWAKE ROOKERY AND BILLINGS GLACIER 123
WHITTIER MULTI-DAY TRIPS 124
WHITTIER #4: DECISION POINT 124
WHITTIER #5: BLACKSTONE BAY 125
WHITTIER #6: SURPRISE COVE 128
WHITTIER #7: HARRIMAN FIORD 132
CHAPTER 7 Trips from Valdez 141
PLACES AND PHONES IN VALDEZ 143
ATTRACTIONS OF PORT VALDEZ AND VALDEZ ARM 144
DAY TRIPS
VALDEZ #1: DUCK FLATS AND OLD TOWN VALDEZ 146
VALDEZ #2: GOLD CREEK 147
VALDEZ MULTI-DAY TRIPS
VALDEZ #3: SHOUP BAY STATE MARINE PARK 148
VALDEZ #4: SAWMILL BAY 151
VALDEZ #5: JACK BAY 152
VALDEZ #6: COLUMBIA BAY 153
VALDEZ #7: GLACIER ISLAND 159
CHAPTER 8 Trips from Cordova 164
PLACES AND PHONES IN CORDOVA 168
ATTRACTIONS OF ORCA INLET 168
DAY TRIPS 170
CORDOVA #1: ORCA INLET 170
CORDOVA #2: EYAK LAKE 171
CORDOVA #3: HAWKINS ISLAND (Day or Multi-Day) 171
MULTI-DAY TRIPS 174
CORDOVA #4: HAWKINS ISLAND CIRCUMNAVIGATION 174
CHAPTER 9 EXPEDITIONS 176
EXPEDITION #1: CHENEGA BAY TO WHITTIER 176
Chenega Bay 176
Chenega Bay to Point Nowell 178
Side Trips: Whale Bay, Icy Bay 183
Point Nowell to Lighthouse Reserve 183
Side Trips: Port Nellie Juan 187
EXPEDITION #2: WHITTIER TO VALDEZ
Whittier to Unakwik Inlet 192
Unakwik Point to Valdez 195
Side Trip: Unakwik Inlet 198
CONCLUSION 199
APPENDIX 200
SOURCES AND REFERENCES 206
INDEX OF PLACE NAMES 210