This is the layer of the plan we hope never to use — but having it transforms our collective psychology. The idea is simple: own a piece of remote land in Southeast Alaska, accessible only by water, with basic supplies cached. In a genuine societal disruption (not a bad week, but a bad year), we have somewhere to go that most people literally cannot reach.
The Logic
Sailing as a "Moat"
In a true crisis — grid failure, supply chain collapse, civil unrest severe enough to make cities untenable — roads become choke points. Everyone with a car heads for the same exits. But almost no one owns a bluewater sailboat, almost no one knows how to sail offshore, and almost no one can navigate the Inside Passage. This capability gap IS the security. It's not a wall; it's a skill barrier.
SE Alaska's Natural Advantages
The climate is maritime subarctic: 100–150 inches of rain annually, mild temperatures (20–70°F range), enormous biomass. Under 3°C warming, SE Alaska actually becomes more habitable — longer growing seasons, less severe winters, ocean protein remains abundant. The region has almost no permanent population outside Juneau and Ketchikan. It's roadless, boat- or float-plane-access only. It's temperate rainforest: endless fresh water, abundant fish (salmon, halibut, rockfish), deer, berries, shellfish.
Recommended Location: Port Protection Area
Northwest Prince of Wales Island, specifically the Port Protection / Point Baker area. Population: ~50 people total, mostly subsistence-lifestyle residents. No road access. Protected harbor. Rich fishing grounds. Some parcels of private land occasionally available.
Why Port Protection
Protected anchorage (critical for boat safety). Existing tiny community (social fabric, not total isolation). Rich salmon runs and halibut grounds. Fresh water from multiple streams. Moderate exposure to open ocean swells. ~680 nautical miles from Bellingham via the Inside Passage (mostly protected waters).
What to Build
A simple, resilient cabin: timber frame, metal roof, rainwater collection, wood stove, root cellar. Cache of non-perishable supplies (rotated every few years via annual sailing visit). Basic tools, fishing gear, firearms for bear safety. Solar panel for communications. This isn't a homestead — it's a lifeboat.
The Route: Inside Passage
From Port Townsend to Port Protection is approximately 680 nautical miles. The critical advantage: almost the entire route is through protected waters — channels, straits, and island-sheltered passages. This is NOT open ocean sailing. It's coastal navigation through some of the most beautiful waterways on earth.
| Leg | Distance | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Port Townsend → Desolation Sound (BC) | ~200 nm | San Juan Islands, Gulf Islands — familiar, protected, well-charted |
| Desolation Sound → Prince Rupert | ~350 nm | The wilderness leg — stunning, remote, less traffic, some exposed crossings |
| Prince Rupert → Port Protection | ~130 nm | Cross Dixon Entrance (open water, plan weather), then sheltered again |
At 6–7 knots average, the passage takes 10–14 days with comfortable daily runs of 40–60 nm and stops for weather. In an emergency, pushing harder (12–14 hour days), it could be done in 7–8 days.
Key Navigation Challenges
Johnstone Strait: Strong tidal currents, must be timed. Queen Charlotte Strait: Can be rough in northwesterlies. Dixon Entrance: Open water crossing between BC and Alaska, needs a weather window. Fog: Common in summer, requires radar and AIS. None of these are extreme for experienced sailors with a proper bluewater boat — but they require respect and competence. This is why we practice the route recreationally first.
Budget Estimate
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Land (5–20 acres, waterfront) | $50K–$150K | Remote SE Alaska land is surprisingly affordable |
| Cabin construction | $40K–$100K | Simple, materials barged in or milled on-site |
| Supply cache (initial) | $10K–$20K | Non-perishables, tools, medical supplies, fuel |
| Annual maintenance/visits | $3K–$5K/year | Rotate supplies, inspect cabin, fish |
| Total initial | $125K–$300K |
The Phased Approach
Year 1–2
Sail first. Buy the boat, base at Port Townsend. Cruise Puget Sound and San Juans. Build skills and confidence. Do the first Baja loop. Get comfortable with the boat as a family.
Year 2–3
Explore the Inside Passage. Summer cruise into BC — Desolation Sound, Broughton Archipelago. Test the boat and crew in more remote conditions. This is also spectacular recreational cruising.
Year 3–4
Full Inside Passage to SE Alaska. Make the trip to Port Protection area. Scout land. Meet locals. Understand the reality on the ground (not just the theory). This trip is an adventure in itself.
Year 4–5
Purchase land, build cabin. Only after you've been there, sailed the route, and know what you're getting into. Begin caching supplies. Establish the property. Annual visits to maintain and enjoy.
Emergency Activation
If the unthinkable happens and the family needs to actually use this plan:
Decision Triggers
Extended grid failure (weeks, not days). Supply chain collapse affecting food/fuel in urban areas. Civil unrest making Portland untenable. Cascading infrastructure failures. These are low-probability scenarios — but they're not zero-probability, and having a plan means we can act calmly rather than panicking.
The sequence: Family converges at Port Townsend cottage → provision the boat (cached supplies at cottage help here) → depart via Inside Passage → arrive Port Protection in 8–14 days depending on urgency → sustain from cabin, supplies, and the incredible natural abundance of SE Alaska's waters and forests.
The entire plan depends on one thing being true: that when the moment comes, we can actually sail the boat there. This is why the recreational sailing isn't separate from the preparedness — every summer cruise, every Baja loop, every weather decision builds the competence that makes the emergency option real rather than theoretical.