Deep Bay to Kelp Bay (South Arm)

A 5.5-hour run today took us to the South Arm of Kelp Bay. Under a blanket of low clouds and steady rain, visibility hovered between 1.5 and 2 miles—just enough to make out the ghostly outlines of granite peaks. The marine forecast called for wind and lumpy seas, and it delivered. We saw 30+ knots in Peril Strait, but the ride was surprisingly comfortable.

Traffic picked up, too—we passed five fishing boats and a couple of cruisers. Word is there’s a seiner opening coming, and the fleet is clearly on the move. With July around the corner, this kind of traffic will likely become the norm.

We chose Kelp Bay’s South Arm for two reasons: it was new to us, and we’d been inspired by the Slowboat blog’s account of dinghying up the glacial river at high tide. We anchored in the same general spot they used, thankful the dozen crab pots gave us some breathing room.

Kelp bay

oceanflyer tucked into the nook just off the shoals

Unfortunately, the rain didn’t let up, and the poor visibility nixed our river trip—the shifting shoals are no place to blunder through blindly. Still, the solitude was lovely, and the anchorage has a quiet beauty even in the gloom. We could make out the waterfall across the bay, but the dramatic ridgelines and jagged peaks will have to wait for a return visit in better weather.