Ranger 7 was built at Gravina Island, SE Alaska, in 1926 by the U.S. Forest Service. She was used by the Forest Service as a work boat until 1962, when she was purchased by a logging company. They replaced the old Atlas engine with a more powerful diesel, which remains in the boat today. In 1980, she was purchased by a Bellingham couple who restored her and used her until 2000, when she was purchased by Jim Compton, her present owner. In August, 2002, the Tongass National Forest celebrated it's centennial and invited Jim to bring Ranger 7 up for the festivities.

Stan, a long time friend of Jim's and I agreed to bring "Ranger" up from Seattle. Stan and I are retired and fellow boatbuilders and have known each other for several years. Jim joined us for two weeks, starting in Prince Rupert, and flying back from Ketchikan after the last "Ranger Roundup". In the picture below, that's Stan, standing on the bulwark with his coffee mug in hand during the Ranger Parade in Ketchikan. Jim and I are inside the pilothouse.

Reid Passage is a pretty, but narrow passage. It was here that we got our first experience with GPS navigation showing us over ground on it's screen, when we were in water. Paper charts, we decided, were still a necessity.

The still waters at Oliver Cove in the morning were quite peaceful.

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