WINTER WEATHER REPORT – Salty Dog Boating News

Harbor Quotes From:  The Lower 48 to the Port of Dutch Harbor, City of Unalaska AK

NW Waterfront Salty Sea Gal!

Ballard Mill Marina – Seattle, WA
“It’s really great weather for powered snow, think positive man & know when to leave your boat and hit the slopes,” describes Will.

Shilshole Bay Marina – Seattle, WA
“There’s white caps and pretty blustery, I would say unless you have to go someplace in your boat then you shouldn’t. Some races come in March – lots of guest moorage available right now,” says Darrell.

Port of Everett Marina – Everett, WA
“Ooooo goodness, it’s been pretty windy here winds up to 43 mph out of the SW,” says Shannon

Cap Sante Marina – Anacortes, WA
“We are on a wind advisory, winds out of the SW 25mph. We have an AMC Regatta coming up,” says Vicky.

Greater Victoria Harbor Authority – BC, Canada
“It’s pouring, its grouse, gray and colding foggy out in the Straights with a Gail warning out there, if you are in a 27 ft. sail boat you want to be careful it will be quite wavy. We’ve got constant drizzle that gets under your collar and makes you cold. On April 18th is our Boat Show – CBYBA Boat Show all out-doors on the docks, come on up,” says Sarah.

Port McNeill Fuel Dock & Marina – BC, Canada
“We’ve got a NE wind, scattered flurries, 700 ft. ceiling starting to break up – calm seas now it’s starting to lighten up. Coming in past the breakwater off your port side, lots of deep water we take reservations, catch lines, we have a Happy Hour tent every day in the summer – 300 ft fingers lots of room,” says Steve.

Knudson Cove Marina – Ketchikan, AK
“38’ degrees has been stormy, low wind out the North. We have a had a few storms this year; it’s been a mind winter; a warmer winter we get lots of rain. We are getting ready for summer season, getting all our tackle in and getting our maintenance ready for summer. It’s a bit quite in Ketchikan; they are doing some work on the cruise ship dock right now so that’s bit torn up,” says Misty.

Yakutat Harbor – Yakuta, AK
“Windy, rain and snow off and on. When it’s rough, most boats come in here to hide from weather. The surfers, surf off Cemetery Area, over at Ankau – the big surf guys who follow storms they come in here. Not too much snow this year. It depends on season when the bears get up; sometimes they don’t go to sleep. They either go to sleep late, and wake up late. They roam into town – if you were scared to go out because of the bears, than no one would ever go out. A few years ago, a of Forest Service officer got chewed on by a bear a little bit; he ran into a sow and cubs I guess,” says Erv.

Port of Kodiak – Kodiak, AK
“Blue skies a little bit cold, 35 degrees. Our weather machine shows us right now it’s bellowing about 7 mph. Out by Buskin River area all winter the bears have been there awake. In December and January, we had a lot of bears in the residential areas looking for food. I don’t even know if there are gonna go back to sleep – it’s a weird winter. Some of bears this winter, re out causing trouble – dumpster diving, they are real trouble makers. We had one bad storm this winter with the Shell Oil Rig they had some problems, it wound-up they had to rebuild lines up on the beach,” says Becky.

Anchorage Currently – Local to South Naknek, AK
“I’m in Anchorage right now, it’s snowier than hell up here…! It’s snowy at home in South Naknek too, the river froze a couple times this winter but not enough to stick – a few guys went up river to cross on bikes, but not me. Too much ice in the river to cross by skiff. The bears have been out really late; end of November I was working on the house and was seeing perfect toe prints in the snow, big bears walking through the yard. The chill factor was down to 20 below and they are still awake. Hardly any bears last year the bears that were around were up really late. I’m thinking some of the bears froze because the frost level went so deep. Bristol Bay Salmon Season, last summer some boats got 100,000 pounds; I got 60,000, most guys in the 50 – 80 range. BBEDC is giving out 20 thousand dollar grants this year, that got a lot of people excited they are getting their boats ready and work-in on them,” describes Bruce.

Port of Dutch Harbor – City of Unalaska, AK
“It’s windy, cold and snowy! Dutch Harbor side it’s going to get up to 27 ft. high seas, Pacific side up to 36 ft seas. We don’t have any bear here, we are on an island, we have lots eagles. The Coast Guard cleared the huge oil vessel for Shell Oil, Kulluk Drill Rig, is coming back – it’s good for lots of jobs,” Cathy of Unalaska.

Alaskan Photography – From South Naknek Fishermen, Bruce Visit:  www.alaskawildlight.com