Cruise Reports

The Outside of the Inside Passage | Captain Cove and Port Stephens

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Heading south from Prince Rupert, we opted to take the “outside of the inside” route. Most boats take the most direct protected route: Grenville Channel (aka The Ditch), which runs between the mainland and Pitt Island. This is a perfectly fine route, well protected, with several scenic anchorages. The “outside of the inside” route, which runs along the west shore of Pitt Island, isn’t necessarily better, but it is different … Read more

Crossing Dixon Entrance

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Getting out of Ketchikan was an exercise in patience. Storm after storm, packing lots of southerly wind and buckets of rain, pummeled the area. Even in a town that receives more than 160 inches of rainfall annually, this was exceptional. Streets flooded and locals complained about the worst summer ever. Fishing guides canceled charters. Twice we recorded more than four inches of rain in a single day. Fishermen commiserated via … Read more

Behm Canal and Misty Fjords

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We left Thorne Bay and headed for Ketchikan to catch up on laundry, groceries, etc. and to pick up Kevin and Laura’s 9-year-old granddaughter, Mijonet, for a trip around Behm Canal. The Ketchikan airport is across Tongass Narrows from town. Remember the infamous Bridge to Nowhere? Yep, that was here, and since it was never built, air travellers arriving or departing Ketchikan must take a boat a few hundred yards … Read more

Thorne Bay | Prince of Wales Island

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Somehow we’ve always missed Thorne Bay, but this year we were determined to visit. Cruising friends raved about the friendly locals. They were right! As soon as we tied up, Ron, a liveaboard on a neighboring boat, popped over and introduced himself. He gave us directions around town, welcomed us, and asked if we needed help with anything! Thorne Bay is a welcome stop. Some cruising guides warn about strong … Read more

Coffman Cove | Prince of Wales Island

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We left Point Baker after breakfast and headed for Coffman Cove. Sumner Strait and Clarence Strait cooperated, and we enjoyed another calm, sunny day on the water, punctuated by a midday whale show at Bay Point. The transient dock at Coffman Cove was full of fish boats when we arrived. Several slips were open, but the harbormaster didn’t respond to our VHF radio calls so we anchored out instead. The … Read more

Port Protection and Point Baker | Prince of Wales Island

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We left Hole in the Wall just after 11:00 a.m. Two small communities are within just a few miles: Port Protection and Point Baker.  We decided to make a quick stop at Port Protection to see what was there, then continue on to Point Baker and perhaps spend the night. Port Protection has an Alaska state float (well, it’s barely floating), but it’s not connected to land. Most of the … Read more

Sarkar Cove, El Capitan Pass, Hole in the Wall | Prince of Wales Island

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Our first stop north of Klawock was Sarkar Cove. It’s a pretty spot with good holding and protection, but several houses and a high-end fishing lodge make it feel less remote than it otherwise would. The biggest attraction was Sarkar Lake, which flows into Sarkar Cove and looked like a great place to explore by dinghy. Aerial view of Sarkar Cove Unfortunately, we didn’t make it far. Soon after the … Read more

Klawock | Prince of Wales Island

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Klawock is about 7 miles by road north of Craig on Prince of Wales Island. Klawock’s early inhabitants were from Tuxekan (a Tlingit winter village to the north), who used Klawock as their summer fishing camp. In 1868, European Americans opened a trading post and a salmon saltery, and in 1878 Klawock was the site of the very first cannery in Alaska. Klawock also has the oldest hatchery in Alaska (sockeye, … Read more