September 6, 2024, Sailing the Lynn Canal

Haines is near the top of the Lyn Canal, a deep fjord created along a fault line.  Deep both in depth below sea level and because it cuts deeply into the continent.  Haines is dryer than Sitka (although you wouldn’t notice today) getting only 52 inches of rain a year as opposed to Sitka’s 95.  For me it is one of the three prettiest places in Alaska, Sitka, of course is number one and Homer is tied with Haines for two and three.  Haines is on the road system, and we sometimes take our car on the state ferry to Haines to drive from there, through the Yukon, to Anchorage of Fairbanks.  We are familiar with the town. 

My favorite Haines story is a ferry tale.  Almost half a century ago Campbell’s Soup had a promotion where communities could save up soup can labels and turn them in for civic projects.  Haines wanted a firetruck so started saving labels and got everyone they knew around Alaska and the lower 48 to save labels for them.  They collected thousands of them and Campbell’s Soup awarded them with a used firetruck.  It was coming in on the state ferry.  The whole town was there, including the high school band.  As the ferry approached members of the crew drove the fire truck to the open side door so people could see the firetruck as the ferry made its turn to go into the ferry dock. 

A crew member neglected to put chocks under the wheels and either the brake was not set or did not hold.  As the ferry made the turn she heeled over a bit.

The band was playing facing the ferry, the conductor was facing the band. 

The firetruck started rolling towards the open door and, in front of the whole town of Haines, the truck rolled into one the deepest fjord in North America. 

As the students playing in the band watched the fire truck slip under the waves, their music began to sound more like John Cage than John Phillip Sousa.  The conductor waved frantically trying to get the band together until he turned around.  At first, he just saw the open side door of the ferry.  But looking at the shocked faces of the folks around him…

The State was self-insured and had to buy Haines a brand-new firetruck.  I’ve told this story both in public performances and privately.  I was telling the story in the dining room of the MV Matanuska, an older crew member was standing close by listening.  After I finished the story, he smiled and said “I was on that ship on that day and can confirm what he said is true.  And I can also confirm that no one on the crew could remember who drove the truck to the door and who was responsible for chucking the wheels. He’s retired now.”

Sailing out of Haines, near Eldred Rock, we passed one of the newest state ferries, the MV Hubbard.  Each ferry is named after a glacier.  We visited the Hubbard’s namesake the next day.  Sorry for the reflections on the glass.