Naha Bay to Yes Bay

We woke to a peaceful morning tied to the park dock at Naha Bay, and I whipped up my “Better-Than-Box Pancakes”—a reliable crowd-pleaser aboard OceanFlyer.

No rush today. The plan was simple: a visit to the ghost-town-turned-summer-retreat of Loring, followed by a short 2.5-hour hop up to Yes Bay.

Just after breakfast, three small runabouts pulled up and spilled out a lively crew of about 18 women (plus a few brave men). They were the “Walkie Talkies” from Ketchikan—a local hiking group whose name says it all. I was promptly recruited for a group photo before they, along with three energetic dogs, hit the trail. Roosevelt Lagoon is a favorite local getaway, and this crew came ready to make the most of it.

After they disappeared into the forest, we cast off for Loring. These days, it’s a sleepy cluster of summer homes, but back in the 1800s, it was a bustling cannery town and rival to Ketchikan. Now? The 2020 census says zero full-time residents.

loring has a small dock with lots of guidelines

We tied up to the outside of the “T” dock—solid depth (40 feet at zero tide), and calm enough not to worry about fetch. The long ramp to shore is best left to dinghies or nimble hikers—it's one of those bouncy, sectioned docks where timing your steps matters. Pro tip: one person per section at a time avoids the trampoline effect.

oceanflyer on the dock at loring

loring and its dock in the distance with a private home and dock on the point

We wandered Loring’s overgrown boardwalks, passing a handful of weathered homes—some charming, some for sale, others in need of love. We tried to find the trail to the cemetery but came up short. Still, it was a lovely, quiet stroll. Not another person in sight.

the dock makes lanfall in the center of loring

a relic from more properous times in loring

the waterfront homes of loring

From there, we continued north up Behm Canal. Showers rolled through, sometimes dropping visibility, but the ride was easy and scenic. We passed several longliners and a few pleasure boats along the way. Just before entering Yes Bay, the current gave us a nice push.

As you enter the bay, Yes Bay Lodge is immediately visible—a big presence near the site of the old cannery. We passed it and turned into the southwest basin. As promised by fellow cruisers, there was a floating dock/barge anchored at the head of the cove, sporting a mix of “Alaskan yard art.” We dropped anchor in about 60 feet with room to spare.

looking back into Yes Bay from our anchorage in sawmioll cove

the floating “dock” at the head of swmill cove

Once settled, OceanFlyer swung to face out into the bay, giving us a beautiful, cozy view down the inlet. The basin was glassy calm, the anchorage quiet, and we capped off the evening with a golden sunset. Another picture-perfect stop in Southeast Alaska.

looking out from the head of sawmill cove