Hobart Bay to Windfall Harbor

After two soggy days in Hobart Bay, we pointed OceanFlyer north up Seymour Canal in search of a change of scenery—and hopefully, fewer clouds.

Our destination was Windfall Harbor, just a few miles shy of Pack Creek, the popular bear-viewing area managed by the Forest Service. Mid-June to mid-July is the slow season for bear activity there, so we skipped the permit hassle and opted for Windfall instead. Karen had read that you can see just as many bears from your own deck—and she wasn’t wrong.

The cruise up was quiet and smooth: low gray skies, light rain, calm seas. Whale blows and tail slaps marked our entrance into Seymour Canal, and a few Dall’s porpoise gave us a brief bow-ride—though they seemed as weary of the rain as we were, surfacing less often than usual.

We found just one other boat anchored in Windfall, leaving us plenty of room to choose our spot. The harbor is big, with good holding in 50–60 feet. Just watch out at the head: the shoal extends far beyond what’s charted, and we quickly bounced from 50 feet to 12 feet when we nudged too close. Crab pots mark the edge—consider them the unofficial boundary line.

Windfall Harbor

the shallow mud flats extend well into the anchorage

the aluvial fan at the head of windfall harbor

Once settled, the harbor lived up to its reputation. As the tide dropped, the bears came out—grizzlies lumbering along the shoreline, turning rocks and sniffing for snacks. Late in the day, the clouds lifted just enough to catch a glimpse of the mountains and sneak in a quick drone flight.

Alpenglow kisses the mountians in the clouds

mother nature puts on a show at sunset in widfall harbor

Tomorrow we’re hoping for a dry morning to explore the creeks by dinghy. Fingers crossed.