Nord2AK: Nordhavn's 2016 Rendezvous

The seeds were planted in 2012. We had been cruising for several weeks in the remote waters of northern British Columbia, where it isn’t unusual to go for several days without seeing another boat. Then surprisingly, two other Nordhavns sailed into Sea Otter Cove where we were anchored on the west side of Vancouver Island.

- Douglas Cochrane

The Nordhavn family is a close knit community. Two Nordhavns in the same anchorage usually means a party. Three boats in a distant location increased the odds, especially since we already knew Jim and Lynda Frantz, the owners of N40, Albedos. Over the next couple of weeks, Orion, Albedos, and an N62 named Island Greeter sailed south, hopscotching each other from cove to fjord to anchorage.

When we reached Barkley Sound, near the southwest corner of Vancouver Island where the Pacific Ocean meets the Strait of Juan de Fuca, we were joined by Skookum, yet another N40. Of course this called for another party. Nicky Hudson onboard Skookum organized a picnic on a small island, with hot dogs, marshmallows, and kayak tours. Imagine four Nordhavns anchored together just off a sunny beach— it was practically a world record!

Fast forward to 2015. Orion was returning to the Pacific Northwest after three years cruising the South Pacific. We reminisced about our friends who we hadn’t seen in over three years. “Why don’t we organize a rendezvous?” “With a bit of planning, we might get 8 or 10 boats together this time.” Little did we know what we were getting ourselves into.

Jim and Lynda were the first couple to respond to our invitation. The four of us began planning what, when, and where. We considered all the usual places, such as Port Ludlow and Anacortes. But Nordhavns have long legs, so we decided to look further afield. Before long we had agreed on Petersburg, Alaska, a charming little village with a good harbor, a great harbormaster, and a deeply rooted Norwegian background. “Nordhavn” sounds Scandinavian enough, so it made sense to gather in the “Little Norway” of Alaska. Nord2AK was born.