Day 37 - Wednesday - July 2 - Niblack Point to Meyers Chuck


One of a pair of Black Bears that approached my campsite at Niblack Point as I was packing up.

Today got off to an exciting start. As I was packing up, I spotted two Black Bears looking for food among the drift logs. They were just down the beach about 50 yards away. I called out to let them know a human was around and continued talking to them as they looked at me curiously. The way they acted, I do not believe they had even seen me until I started making noise. They kept their distance and did not bother me at all. By the time I was in my boat and launching, they had made their way to the spot where my campsite had been, and were busy nosing around for abandoned morsels. I spotted another Black Bear from the kayak a little while later while paddling further up the coast.
After launching at 6:45am, I continued up Clarence Strait along the shore of the Cleveland Peninsula toward today’s destination, Meyers Chuck. Conditions started out in my favor with the wind, waves, and current all going my way. At times, I was going incredibly fast, perhaps 5mph. It did not seem possible, but I felt like swells were coming up Clarence Strait from Dixon Entrance and adding to the mix. A more likely reason was that the swells formed in Clarence Strait by wind blowing across the surface over a long distance.


Taking a break at a rivers mouth south of Meyers Chuck.

I passed Ship Island at 8:15am and was making good time until around 10:10am when the conditions started getting rough. A nice gravel beach out of the wind and waves provided a welcome place to take a break and hope for the wind to let up. Within minutes of stopping, a pod of Orcas, which must have been right behind me, passed the beach heading north. I was glad to be out of the water, as a pod of Orcas swimming around me in rough water would have been nerve racking.


Some small islands near Meyers Chuck come into view.

After an hour, I decided to try again and see if I could make it to Myers Chuck, which was only 3 miles away. I noted later in my logbook, that these three miles were the roughest waters that I had paddled in yet. The waves were on par with or surpassed those I encountered at Cape Fox in Dixon Entrance. If the seas would have been just a little rougher, I may not have been able to handle it. The chart indicates a shallow bottom in this area, which was probably the reason for the rough conditions. I believe the waves increased in steepness as they moved over these shallows.


Paddling into Meyers Chuck.

By 12 noon I had finished my 17 mile paddle to Myers Chuck and was happily pulling up to the dock. The dock here is very nice and it was easy to get out of the boat and unload everything. There are no streets in Myers Chuck so as soon as you step off the dock you are walking on a foot trail.







My tent set up on the lawn next to "The Schoolhouse".

A bulletin board at the dock showed a place for rent called “The Schoolhouse” and included a phone number. I walked over to check it out and it turned out to be a very nice house that could accommodate quite a few people. It would have been too much for a lone kayaker but the big grassy lawn next to it looked perfect for pitching a tent. I used a phone by the dock to call the number and got permission from the owner to camp on the lawn. Before leaving the next day, I left $20 on the porch of “The Schoolhouse” as a token of my appreciation for his hospitality.


My kayak on the dock in Meyers Chuck.

I spent this afternoon walking around on the trails of the town and talking with a couple of the locals and yacht owners on the dock. The weather during my stay was mild and dry and could not have been any nicer. The cell phone worked here and I was able to call home and check in.





A few of the waterfront homes in Meyers Chuck.