Petersburg to Scenery Cove

Petersburg is a charming town, but after a record-setting wet May (confirmed by dockside locals), it was time to get OceanFlyer back into cruising mode.

We settled our moorage and rental car bills and gave a fond farewell to the North Harbor harbormaster—truly one of the best we’ve encountered.

With four knots of current pushing us out, we cruised across Frederick Sound toward Scenery Cove in Thomas Bay. We timed our arrival for low tide, giving us a clear view of the cove’s steep, glacier-carved mudflats.

For a few glorious minutes—11, to be exact—the sun made an appearance. I grabbed some drone shots before the clouds regrouped and resumed their campaign of drizzle.

clouds and rain are back

low clouds and rain greet us in scenery cove

Scenery Cove served as our staging point to attempt the tricky route toward the glacial lake at the foot of Baird Glacier. The plan? Ride high tide and find the path through the braided glacial river system, just around the corner.

low tide arrival makes finding your anchor spot much easier

looking back out to the scenery cove entrance

a look at the river that flows into scenery cove

Unfortunately, poor visibility, murky glacier water, and a heavy ceiling of clouds made it impossible to read the shallows. Even with satellite charts and notes from SlowBoat.com, we hit an impassable rocky bar—12.4’ tide, three feet under the keel until… not. After two attempts, we waved the white flag. This one’s best left for sunny skies and better light. Next time.

Back in the cove, the rain finally eased, and while the clouds lingered, even a gray break in the weather felt like victory after weeks of downpour.

That evening, the 69-foot Hawkeye II joined us in the anchorage—quiet, well-positioned, and not at all intrusive. Just another boat savoring the stillness of Scenery Cove.