This is a follow up post to the Herring post I made earlier this week. It's about getting into a bay named 'No Thorofare Bay' and they weren't kidding when the named it. I told Daveinthebush I'd post these...

Here what the entrance looks like at low tide. I tied off to the branch to take some pictures. As you can see from the bullwhip kelp, this branch is covered at high tide...



I beached the boat, and hiked in to check it out closer. I use one of those 'bungie' cords (tied to portside aft cleat) to keep the boat off the rocks when I'm away. It works great...



In the first image, you can see the water lever change caused by the water flowing out of the bay at low tide. Here's those rocks up close...



...they are completely covered at mid-tide, but not by much. It's kind of important to hit the narrow channel in the middle going either way. Here's what they look like a bit futher in the entrance...



Here's what it looks like from inside the bay, looking out. Sure looks nice and peaceful from here...



Now it's three hours later,into high tide, the current has shifted directions and it's running into the bay. I've pulled the pots and am starting to head out against the current...



This is a lame picture I managed to take while trying to keep the bow pointed into the current and jockey the throttle. Like most pictures, it does little justice to the moment.



And here, is what it's all about...



...a decent haul of nice shrimp.


The tides are much better next week, and I intend to go back for more, as it's a very good shrimping spot. Sorry no big game animals were killed in this post.

Very nice pics. Some very beautiful scenery. Do you have a jack plate on that motor to lift it up? Would that work in these kind of places? I like your boat. May I ask who made it? And do they have a website?

HI,

BW, I wish I could pick your brain about boating in Alaska as I will have to learn and have no clue and that is an understatement.I am trying to learn as best I can so forgive my really dumb questions.When you tie off the boat to go onto the land,portside,left.The bungie cords are use for raising water as high tide is comming in?.And that looks like a tidal river with that water rushing in like that, very narrow area?.What are you looking for as structure for shrimp from shallows to rock?, a place that you say I will put my traps there or here?,and thanks for the pics they are great most people here will never see this?Kev

This is my boat camping over at Main Bay south of Whittier. The ugly dog is Loomis the Wonder Dog.




Silvers out at Middle Rock in the narrows south of Valdez.



Like father, like son. Ok his is bigger.




Stopping into Colombia Glacier for ice for the halibut.

Mark,

Nope, no jack plate on this boat. That seems more popular for running rivers. Probably because they run long distances in shallow water, where us ocean types only trim up when we're near rocks/shore.

The boat was made here in Sitka, from a shop called Northern Marine. I doubt they have a website. I could get you their phone number, but since they're a local company (not nationwide) I'm sure you could have one built cheaper down there.

Thanks for the compliments...

Brian, thanks for the reply. I like that front loading ramp, does it seal well against waves and spray? I'm looking at something like this for my next river boat.
Mark

Kev,

It's a constant learning process! I'm still very green compared to most folks around here. Basically you buy your boat, and take it out the first day to see what it can do. Then you come back and try not to screw up getting back into the slip, or boat ramp, making an ass of yourself in front of all the 'old salts'! Trust me, they may not appear to being paying attention, but they are watching you!!! I know, because I do the same thing when others are coming in to the harbor.

After a couple days to calm your nerves, you convince yourself that it wasn't that bad, and take the boat out again. Only this time you push the envelope a bit more, and scare yourself again. There will be good days when you don't do anything stupid, but you'll realize you didn't learn anything that day. When you start to think you've got it all under control, you'll do something really scary, and revert back a few steps. Add in a few more stupid moments in the harbor, banging into fuel docks and other boats, and that's basically what it's all about.

You are right about using the bungie cord for keeping the boat off the rocks. I use one called 'Anchor Buddy', it's about 15ft long unstretched, and stretches about twice that length. I've got a small 5lb dansforth anchor, with about 10ft of chain attached to the end of the bungie. The technique I use it to come ashore and tie off a line to something above the hightide mark. Then I back off till it seems right, and throw the bungie anchor over behind the boat. Here's another picture from the other day...



I like to use polypro (plastic type) line to tie off to the shore. It floats on top of the water (unlike normal cotton type line) and doesn't get snagged on stuff under the water. You can see it in the picture running from the boat to land.

When I'm ready, I just pull the boat back into the beach with that line, get off, and let the bungie pull the boat back into good water.

I'm no shrimping expert! But from what I'm learning it's best to set you pots on an underwater 'hill.' Set the first pot deep, and motor towards the shallow water ('uphill') and set the rest of the pots as you go. I'm running 4 pots on one string, but people run more, and fewer, pots than that depending on how much they can pull up.

And yes, a tidal river is a good description of that spot. A 'river' which changes direction several times a day.

Your going to love it up here!

Mark,

Your either up very late, or early!

If you like drop bow boats, check out these guys...

Packman Boats

...they build some nice ones!

My bow door doesn't leak a drop unless I have it down and am making way at half throttle. The water splashes up through the crack at the bottom of the door. When on-step, and when idleing around, the water stays out. Here's a couple picture which better show the design...




What sort of boat are you running now? Which river?

Dave,

Those are great pictures! Thanks for sharing them!

I gotta ask though, why the raft (which doesn't appear to be taking up any interior room ) if your beaching the boat? Did you anchor out that night? BTW, that's one nice boat. How you liking that Honda?

I think I asked this before, but what kind of downrigger is that?

Cruising up to tidewater glaciers for ice, that's just too cool. Certainly a hard one to top, I'm just going to have to try harder.

BW: PWS has very few places to beach a boat and I only do so for a short stay ashore. When anchoring overnight and not sleeping on the boat, I anchor off, run a line to shore and then use the raft to get to shore.

The Honda is great. I have had 2 and loved both. They don't like it when it gets below 32 but when coaxed do fine. The boat ahead of me has a 115 2-stroke. He burns almost twice the fuel that I do with a 90 and a longer boat. I have gotten up to 32 mph.

I can't remember the downrigger name and I can't get to the boat, snow!!! Glacer ice lasts forever and if there is a small amount of water in the bottom of the cooler it will freeze it.

Yea I love it out there, just need to find a partner......female type.

HI,

I think I understand about the bungie cord, it will give with water raising or falling, and that is a good idea about pulling your boat in and the cord pulling it back out.Along with it anchored it is tied off at two points,to shore with the bungie and anchored,I think that is it?,What is the average catch with the shrimp,Kev

HI,

Thanks Daveinthebush for the pics and nice silver I will be there for them in August. The Packman boats BW mention are very good,I got a price estimate on them by packmen and they can be alittle high,but they are excellent boats. I will plan on getting one when I move to AK,Kev

Dave, ever go into Hidden bay on Culross or the back of Granite Bay south of Main Bay when the tide is running. Looks about like BW's pics. I have had a close call in both places, and am a little more careful than I used to be.

Must be more hidden bays than I thought. I usually go to the one on Disk. I have been in Cedar many times but never the bay at Granite Bay. There are also 2 on Glacier and one at Billys Hole that is good to sleep in.

I will have to look them up on my navigational program tonight.

There is also Shelter Bay out at the entrance. You can only go in on the high incomming and high outgoing tides. Once in, your there 12 ours.

Darn, I tried to zoom over there (PWS) using my chart software, but I only have S.E. Alaska loaded up.

Let's see some pictures!

Rob,

I'm not crazy! This spot is only a 30 minute run back home on the kicker. That's assuming I bash more than the prop, because I carry a spare (and the wrench and extra nut ).

Yeah, I am referring to the one on the outside of Culross. Have never taken any pictures of the opening but will do so if I get in there this spring. It is pretty darn tight getting in to Hidden Bay, but a boat the size of a seiner can make it in there if you know where to go. Because of the size of the bay inside, it is a river when the tide is going in or out. But it is what you can call a huricane hole because no matter the weather, you will be safe in the back of the bay. There is one rock about half way back in the middle of some open water that is out of the water about 6 feet on a low tide, but covers up on high. I can never remember where the heck it is, always makes me nervous on my way in.

Brian, those are some nice pics. Would you mind giving some specifics on you boat - length, width across the gunnels, etc?

Antlers,

It's just shy of 22ft long, not including the engine, and 7.5ft wide at the widest point (near the pot puller.)

It was made here in Sikta by a company named Northern Marine. You could probably find there number in the phone book. They made it 1997. I'm not sure where they got the design plans. I'm the third owner.

I finally made it out to my first shrimp set of the year. Five pots, 3-4 herring per pot for bait and I ended up with 113 prawns. That is about 3 gallons of shrimp.

Life is tough up here but someone has to eat the stuff.

The snow level in the sound is still too high for bears around Valdez. No bear sign yet but across from the house I saw four goats last night.

Brian, thanks for the reply. Looks like a nice rig - a little different then most with the landing craft front end. Does the square bow cause a problem in rough water? Next time I'm in Sitka I will be sure to look up the Northern Marine folks.

Maybe it's the pictures, but it looks just like a lot of the drop bows around here. But nope, no problems in the chop. Like I showed in the one picture above, there's plenty of 'vee' in the hull.

Next time your in Sitka, let me know, and I'll show up the boat and the way to Northern Marine.