Brundige Inlet to Bullhead Cove: A Border Crossing and a Boat Rescue

This morning, our neighbors pulled anchor in sync, likely heading all the way to Ketchikan. We had more modest plans—just a short hop across the border to Bullhead Cove.

Karen nixed another stop at Foggy Bay (been there, done that), and though Kah Shakes Cove came highly recommended, its narrow, shallow entrance isn't ideal on a minus tide. So, Bullhead it was. Less protected, but a better fit for our schedule—and with a calm forecast, we were confident it would be a peaceful stop.

bullhead cove feels open but perfect in settled weather

The crossing was smooth, and our Customs clearance through the CBP ROAM app was fast and easy. Once anchored, we launched the dinghy to explore Bullhead and neighboring Kah Shakes. The entrance is straightforward, with most of the guarding rocks dry even at mid-tide, though we did spot a few shallow patches—definitely one to time right with the tides.

Bullhead has a couple of tempting beaches, but the tide schedule didn’t cooperate for a full-on shore excursion.

Back aboard, we were stowing the dinghy when a small sport fisher slowly approached. We’d seen him earlier near Snail Rock. Turns out he’d wrapped his anchor line in the main engine prop and was limping along with his kicker. We offered to help.

We tied him off to our swim platform and relaunched the dinghy as a work float. Since his outboard didn’t tilt fully clear, it took some careful maneuvering and a bit of tugging, but we finally freed the line. As it happens, he’s the Chairman of the Board of the Native corporation that owns Ketchikan’s largest hotel and several other operations. He was beyond grateful—not surprising, given the difference between a 55-minute ride and a 6-hour crawl home.

mother nature brings out the colorful paintbrush in late evening

With our good deed done, we settled into a stunning sunset, anchored in solitude. Not a bad way to wrap up a day in Southeast Alaska.

Sunset at Bullhead cove

Yes it did really look like this

Hunt Inlet to Brundige Inlet: One Step Closer to the U.S.

We left Hunt Inlet this morning after confirming we had 8.8 feet under the keel—based on tide station data and a healthy respect for the kelp fields noted in the Douglass guide. At zero tide, that puts the channel depth around 13 feet—tight but manageable. Just watch your sonar closely at lower tides.

some of the residents of Hunt Inlet

Not ceertain what all this is, but it looks nice and well maintained

Our destination: Brundige Inlet on Dundas Island, a well-known staging point for crossing Dixon Entrance and entering Alaska, especially if you're bypassing Prince Rupert.

green island light, a vital weather reporting station for dixon entrance

Despite Canadian forecasts warning of gales, we had yet another calm and favorable run. Winds dropped to under 10 knots near Green Island, seas were down to a foot, and the ride was smooth. A pod of Pacific White-Sided dolphins made a brief appearance, but they had fish to chase and no time for bow riding today. Maybe next time!

Though conditions were good enough to continue to Ketchikan, we stuck to our plan—just a four-hour run—and dropped anchor in Brundige alongside two other boats. Last time we were here, we were swarmed by bugs, but this time a steady breeze kept them at bay—much to Karen’s relief.

Another solid day of cruising in the books. Next stop: U.S. waters.

Lowe Inlet to Hunt Inlet: Chasing a Weather Window

Today was all about positioning for a smooth Dixon Entrance crossing. We left Lowe Inlet under a steady drizzle after a night of relentless rain—Alaska is near, after all.

With a helpful push from current and wind at our back, conditions were good enough to skip our planned stop at Kelp Passage and press on to Hunt Inlet. That move sets us up nicely for Brundige Inlet tomorrow—our final Canadian anchorage and a prime jump-off for crossing Dixon Entrance in a couple of days.

Hunt Inlet was a surprise. From the chart, you'd expect wilderness—but it’s lined with a scattered mix of homes, docks, and a couple of aging commercial buildings, including what looks like a lumber warehouse and a marine ways.

looking back to the entrance into Hunt Inlet

We slipped through the narrow, well-marked channel into the inner anchorage and set the hook in 40 feet with excellent holding. Look south, and it’s pure solitude. Look north, and there’s a quirky waterfront community.

Deep inside hunt inlet

We had the anchorage all to ourselves for the night—just the way we like it.

Layday in Lowe Inlet

Running ahead of schedule and staring down a soggy forecast, we opted to linger another night in Lowe Inlet. A rain-soaked layday sounded just right—and the weather delivered.

With steady downpours outside, we shifted gears to inside projects and boat chores. Not glamorous, but satisfying in their own way.

That’s all there is to say

The day’s main entertainment? Watching two 66-foot cruisers arrive in a torrential downpour. Their crews, valiantly standing watch in full foulies, endured the classic anchoring ballet—circling, repositioning, and finally setting hook. A reminder: never skimp on good rain gear in the PNW.

We also started keeping a close eye on Dixon Entrance, the last open-water hurdle before re-entering Alaska. Early signs point to a crossing window on Sunday—Mother’s Day. That gives us two days to stage north and be ready.

Khutze Inlet to Lowe Inlet

What a difference a day makes! Sunshine and a rising tide gave us the perfect window to explore Khutze’s twin river branches by dinghy. With Butedale tides in mind, we launched at 9:00 a.m. ahead of a 10:27 high (+14.5 ft) and were back by 11:00—never seeing less than three feet under the keel in the south branch, or two feet in the north.

the south branch runs along the mountains edge

The south side was particularly enchanting, a winding maze through salt marsh and meadows, where the only sound was the drip of light rain and the occasional bird call. Twice we dropped the hook, shut off the engine, and just drifted in the silence. No bears today, though our neighbor aboard Surfbird, who’s been anchored here for weeks, swears they’ve been active recently.

anchoren in the south branch looking for bear

looking back to the anchorage from the north branch

as far as we could go in the north branch

anchored just short of the shallow rapids

the views along the river’s edge ar always a delight

one last look at the falls at Khutze Inlet. Oceanflyer give a sense of the scale of this majestic landmark.

With weather turning grayer, we wrapped up our 5.8-mile dinghy tour and pointed the bow north. Conditions were ideal, and the current gave us a boost up the early stretch of Grenville Channel, so we carried on to Lowe Inlet.

We arrived to an empty anchorage and had our pick of the bay. Verney Falls was putting on a good show—not for height, but for volume. The churning foam stretched well into the inlet, a frothy white ribbon against the dark green water.

verney falls is feed by a large lake

we like anchoring just to one side of the falls outflow

should be good place to see bears, but not today