We planned to leave Wrangell on Wednesday but Free Spirit had a transmission problem that necessitated a haul out, so we postponed departure a day to lend aid to our friends. The extra day allowed us time for unplanned chores, so Bob busied himself in the chain locker to pull out the rode, which had been soaked by the early season rains. What he found was not good … though it was really good he found it.

The windlass (motor that runs the anchor chain) is leaking oil; closer inspection and some jiggling show it’s a bit loose from its mounts. The net result for us is the 26 year old windlass needs attention before it’s dependable for future anchoring. So we’re staying put for now in Wrangell while we explore ordering a new windlass. Fortunately, Wrangell has an airport and ferry, so having a new windlass shipped here is possible (not true for every place we’ll visit).

Wrangell is not a bad place to be delayed. We have friends on the dock, like Wolf, a proud Tlingit who wears a necklace with four enormous wolf teeth; Dennis, fellow boater who trailered his 28 foot “My Iggy” C-Dory from Arizona to Anacortes, then left for Alaska about the same time we did; John, Gina and Winston on Free Spirit, our cruising partners.

The sidewalks of Wrangell’s main street are adorned with a border that is flecked with garnet crystals. The town has a “Garnet Ledge” – an outcropping filled with the garnet crystals – that was owned by local businessman Fred Hanford. He donated the ledge to the children of Wrangell, and only they are allowed to dig for the garnets using hand tools. The gift was to allow children the opportunity to experience business and commerce, so we see children on the sidewalk selling garnets to tourists. Local artisans and crafters can buy from the children, but are not permitted to dig.

Wrangell offers area hikes, side-by-side rentals for exploring the island, a museum, and the local Elks Club has Father’s Day Weekend barbecue scheduled. It’s a pretty spot to wait out our unknown future.