RAN Sailing · video

What this video covers

Johan and Malin navigate the 21-nautical-mile Wrangell Narrows in Southeast Alaska, timing their transit to carry a favorable current for the entire passage.12:00 During a spring tide, they depart Petersburg one hour before high tide to reach the channel's midpoint exactly as the tide turns, allowing them to maintain a following current for the duration of the route.8:45 The passage requires close attention to over 60 navigational aids and frequent encounters with tugboats towing barges.10:15 The crew notes that currents in the narrows can reach seven knots, making precise planning essential to avoid hazardous conditions, particularly in fog.12:58 After successfully navigating the narrows, they continue south for a total of 40 nautical miles, arriving at an anchorage in Exchange Cove by sunset.13:23 The transit highlights the importance of calculating tidal windows in narrow, current-dominated channels to ensure safe passage and fuel efficiency.

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