June 2026 Rally to White Sulphur Hot Springs - Report
Most of us build up a lot of anticipation for our group’s annual solstice sailing adventure in the middle of June - be it the Spirit of Admiralty race in two legs with layover at Baranof Warm springs in the odd years, or the Admiralty Island Rally (AIR) on the even years which has traditionally followed the same course, broken up with evening anchorages all the way around the island. Both events cover over 200 miles of sailing territory with the broad spectrum of tides and weather, scenery and wildlife, that one may expect in Southeast Alaska. The Spirit is a more formal race, with crew watch schedules, nighttime navigation, position tracking and reporting – the fleet can get pretty spread out by tides, weather, and seamanship. Each boat must demonstrate its self-sufficiency while safeguarding its crew, often far from our comrades. The AIR on the otherhand, as a series of shorter day races, generally keeps the fleet together through the week, with shared anchorages, stories, food, drink, fish and music. It is a great introduction to longer range cruising for newer sailors too, highlighting safety and seaworthiness, systems operations, spare parts and fuel calculations, water and food provisions for crew. All while building familiarity with this specific part of our region.
After decades of this traditional course, the 2026 skippers decided to mix things up a bit. White Sulphur Hot Springs out on the outer coast just south of Point Dougherty has been a legendary destination for many cruiser – a challenge due to tides, rocks, weather and distance. Maintained by the US Forest Service in the Tongass National Forest, there is a rentable cabin at the destination as well as the timber yellow cedar bathhouse structure perched on the edge of the rugged Pacific coastline. The modern electronic charts are deceptive, flagging numerous landing points, but secure anchorages are scarce, shallow, and tough to get to.
Many visitors take a skiff there from Pelican, about 18 miles away, or fly in via chartered float plane. Many of us had never been there by any method, let alone by way of our own boats.
The course was established, with a distance similar to the AIR, but starting and finishing at Point Retreat. The 2026 rally group included sailing vessels as follows:
The Hermit – Captain Scott Jonsson + 1 crew – Nimble 27
A Little Romance – Captain Anthony Crupi + 2 crew – Regina 38
Tango – Captain Dave D’Amore + 3 crew – Cal 34
High Noon – Captain Sean Boily + 5 crew – Peterson 41
The Hermit and High Noon A Little Romance
Tango (from a different day!) The starting pipes
The first leg start was piped in by Axel Boily on the bagpipes, and then was a quiet 32 miles from Point Retreat to Flynn Cove, about seven nautical miles west of Hoonah. Wind was fair from the northwest, but not plentiful, and the sky overcast. But we all got there! A Little Romance arrived first and set a hook, inviting others to raft off for the night.
From Navionics First raftup – Flynn Cove
From Navionics
The second leg was from Flynn Cove, out through south Inian Pass to Port Althorp. Again wind was fair at times, but all boats were motoring by mid day to ensure we made it through the pass, where the current can run as much as 4 kts with or against, depending on the tides. The passage was largely uneventful, though High Noon started having symptoms of a clogged heat exchanger, and lagged a bit behind the others under power – sailing while the captain was down below draining and reassembling the cooling system. All made it through the pass before the turn of the tide. Whales were seen, as well as the charter fishing fleet out of Elfin Cove. The Hermit, being fairly swift under power, ducked into Elfin Cove for a visit and were greeted by a community boardwalk party before rejoining.
The following morning stated with little wind and the group motored on past Pt Althorp and up Lisianski Inlet and out to the Pacific!
It was a bit intimidating the hit the big ocean swell as we came out of Lisianski Strait and turned south through the rock pile seaward of Point Partennce and Point Dougherty – its surprisingly shallow out there and the rocky coast is ragged, shallow, with kelp and otters every where you turn. Overcast with a variable on shore breeze, no one was in the mood for sailing – just motoring on through. Our destination was Mirror Harbor, a small cove south of White Sulphur which through our collective research it was clear we had to attempt the entrance of well above mid tide. The timing was not great, and our approach was on a falling tide. A Little Romance with robust engine power and impeccable seamanship forged ahead and got through the narrow passage with kelp and rocks awash well ahead of the rest. Then Anthony was kind enough to come out in the dingy and guide some of us through the tough parts – the passage is about a boat length wide with streaming kelp hanging up rudders and props. But no one touched rock! And after finding the deepest part of Mirror Harbor, we had another raft-up to A Little Romance. With the following -3’ tide, High Noon had about 18” of water left under the keel too!
Mirror harbor rafting
The “dog-leg” into Mirror Harbor at low tide
Everyone immediately dinghied the mile or so over to the trail head and were in the hot spring for the first time by evening.
Scott at the outdoor pool
Rick, Dave, Brennen, Linsey and Axel in the Bathhouse
We spent two evenings in Mirror Harbor and made four trips over to the springs in that time. On the morning of our departure High Noon blew out a raw water pump and we had to do a quick 11 minute impeller change. But we made the tide and had a pleasant partially sunny day back along the coast to Lisianski Strait – where we actually sailed most of the way to the Inlet!
Our next stop was Pelican, and little boardwalk fishing town. There we were able to get fuel, water, ice, and go to a real bar to share stories of the rain!
Lineup at the dock - Pelican
Evening dock walk, Pelican
The High Noon family crew - Axel, Clare and Cori in Pelican
As we departed Pelican, the High Noon crew was doing a little fishing and brought in a sizable halibut – broke the gaff off bringing it up the side! Enough to share with all.
Axel got to hold it – but it was a group effort getting that puppy on board.
From Pelican we traveled north, across the outside the west of the Inian Islands towards the Brady Glacier. The sun came out, sails went up. We had another raft-up at Fern Harbor.
And in the morning, we were off again! We were looking at a 50 nm run from Fern to Swanson Harbor, but we hit the tide through the North Inian Pass and Icy Straight right and got there in about 6 hours. Bright sun, following sea and wind, broad reaching all the way!
Dock at Swanson Harbor, down to three sails – The Hermit went to Hoonah instead.
And the last run from Swanson Harbor to Pt Retreat started out fairly brisk – the young lad brought the wind for the last day with a little Pirates of the Caribbean piping.
The week wrapped up with great feelings of comradery and love of the people participating and the place we live in. It was another great adventure.
So….the thinking of those on this adventure, instead of the AIR, perhaps we have the CIR (Chichagof Island Rally)?
Follow the same run we made out to White Sulphur Hot Springs (as the mid point) then sail south along the coast to Salsbury Sound, navigate back through Peril straight, then up Chatham to Point Retreat! Similar mileage, fresh challenges!
Sean Boily, S/V High Noon