Gut Bay Lay Day (Happy Canada Day!)

Karen was up early enough to catch a glimpse of blue sky—by the time I rolled out of bed, it was back to classic Southeast Alaska drizzle. Still, we held out hope the weather would lift for some shrimping and dinghy exploring.

By late afternoon, the clouds parted just enough for a quick drone flight, and we wasted no time launching the dinghy. First stop: setting the shrimp pot. Then we cruised into Mickie’s Winter Basin, rechecking the narrow entrance and confirming about 2 feet at zero tide—tight, but doable at high tide. Inside, it was just as stunning as we remembered: cascading waterfalls and grassy flats framed by rugged peaks.

We scouted another potential anchorage before pulling our pot—no shrimp yet—so we dropped it again in a new spot for the evening. With high tide on our side, we pushed up the creek at the head of the bay. Low clouds lingered, but the scenery made it worthwhile: mossy banks, glassy water, and that wild, remote feel unique to these corners of Alaska. We made it almost to the little islet, capped with a lone tree, at the head.

Later that evening, a lone “go-fast” cruiser blasted into the bay, circled us once, dropped a pot over by our pot, and vanished just as quickly. Aside from that odd cameo, the anchorage was quiet—no bears, no whales, no eagles. Just the kind of peaceful solitude that makes these lay days worth savoring.

gut bay is a one of a kind marvel