The Malaspina pulled into Wrangell around 1:45 AM. I had drifted off in the Reclining Lounge but the overhead announcement put me on notice about 30 minutes before arrival. Rustle, rustle, pack up everything. Wait. The approach was so quiet I was not sure we were even moving.

Plan A for Wrangell was to stop at the City Park, which I knew from my advance research was only 1.3 miles from the Ferry Terminal. I also knew they allowed tent camping. However, when I arrived at the park I discovered that it was nothing more than a small, triangular plot of land next to City Hall that barely had room for 3 picnic tables. The grocery was across the street and other businesses just down the block. No way I am going to set up my tent in the middle of little downtown Wrangell, I thought.  I could imagine everyone walking by me on their way to work. Tango would bark, thinking that I was in danger.

The Forest Service campground is 13 miles from town on a winding road, which I also knew from my advance research. I did not want to drive an unfamiliar road like that in the middle of the night, so I looked around, wondering what to do. No motels that I could see. Hmmmm. Clearly, I would need to find a safe place to pull over until daylight. Near the City Park, I saw a small apartment building with nice cars in the back parking lot. Okay, there. Plan B.

A gentle rain fell for the rest of the night and I managed to get in a few zzzz. When I awoke to full sunlight at 6:30 AM, I noticed that the City Park had a newly built bathroom and the door was propped open. The toilet had sudsy, scented cleanser in it, which told me it had been recently cleaned. Did the city always do this before the ferry pulled in? Have they been reading my blog and did they know I was pulling in by myself during the wee hours? Anyway, I took it as a personal welcome mat. Such decency for weary travelers.

I walked Tango so he could also relieve himself and fed him after we returned to the car. I drove from there straight out to the campground, around and up onto the hillside. On the winding road, I passed a sign saying Wolf Trap Area. I made a mental note to not let Tango wander there! I cannot imagine why anyone would trap wolves. No livestock in the area that I can see. Later, I heard barking, more like domestic dogs but who knows! No people, houses, or trails around here. Maybe I shouldn’t have watched that TV show in Prince Rupert about crazy sounds in the woods.

Shortly after the Wolf Trap sign, I found the Three Sisters Campground that I had read about over and over in my Alaska Camping book. Yep, there is the vault toilet. There are the walk-in sites. There is the handicap accessible site. And there is the view. From the small campground, I can see straight out over a channel and across towards more of those small, snow-covered mountains. I see all the tree snags that, according to my camping book, provides perches for eagles. Tango, we are here!

I look around carefully. No snow on the ground, but things are damp. I look for bear sign, like freshly dug up soil and scat. I also notice that none of the sites have bear cabinets for food or any posted bear notices. That suggests to me that bears are not in this section of the island. They really don’t want to be around human activity and work hard to stay out of our spaces. I decide that, regardless of the lax bear policy, I will follow bear country camping rules.  Remember my foray into drug smuggling territory in the Chiricahuas? I no longer trust the Forest Service to adequately notify me of any dangers. Food and cooking supplies stay in the trunk.

I choose the only campsite that has a huge, covered shelter and a giant picnic table. Both look new. The only problem at this site, I notice,  is a lack of soft ground for either tent. Hmmm. A tent spot without any protection during the upcoming rainy spell, or store my tent gear under the shelter and sleep in the car. I go that route, and when I unload the gear I can finally put the driver’s seat all the way back down. If that gets old, I can probably rig up something and sleep on the ground under the shelter. I certainly have enough tarps! Funny that I have two tents and a screen house that I worked hard to understand before leaving, but no place to put up any of them.

Tango loves his freedom. I was in the car 3 days, he was in 4 days, including during the ferry ride.  He runs around sniffing absolutely every rock and speck of soil. I wonder what he found in those smells? Clues, perhaps to critters who have passed through. Then, he sits in the sun for awhile and then moves to the shade. He claimed a stick that he guards by placing his paw over it while resting. He has never gone after, sticks but this one is special for some reason.

During the day, 3 separate vehicles drive through and then up the hill towards the next small cluster of campsites. Each has an Alaska license plate. I wonder why they are here. Locals going for a drive? Locals scouting out stuff to stteal if I go into town? The cars/trucks are nice and the people look normal.  I am not usually suspicious and tend to leave everything out and even my RV unlocked. I decided that I will put my most valuable stuff back in the car when I drive back to town tomorrow. This far away, I don’t want to take a chance.

So, here I am, at the Inside Passage, overlooking the water and the next Island over What now? How will I spend my days? I hope to settle into the routine I established at Grand Coulee. In camp, I will read, write, nap, and check out the birds with my spotting scope. Here I can also check out boats that move up the waterway and observe tidal movements (right now, a slack tide) and watch for small aircraft.  I am also taking short walks with Tango and trying to identify all the plants and trees.

Alternating with my in-camp days:  in town for breakfast out every few days, hang out in the library, stop by the grocery. In town, I have 3G Internet. Not bad and a good omen for the future. If I have service on this island – the most isolated location all summer– I will have access at future locations.

I fire up the Weather Radio and learn that the forecast is for cool days and nights with partly cloudy skies. I also expect more light rains like the first night. The lady I met on the ferry who lives in Petersburg (next stop on the Marine Highway) told me about Norwegian Days, a celebration there on the 3rd weekend in May. Planning on heading up there before that begins so I can get a camping spot. I purposely did not ahead much so that I can adapt to what I find along the way, like this little festival!

So far, so good. I have solitude, writing materials, inspirational reading, Kindle books, time, morning coffee, afternoon tea, Agavero for a nightcap. And, what a view!