Magoun Islands to Sitka

After two glorious days of sunshine, the familiar Southeast Alaska drizzle returned—perfect timing for a return to one of our favorite ports: Sitka.

clouds, water and mountain textures

you know you are getting close to sitka when you see the cruiseship terminal

It’s a short hop from the Magoun Islands, just 8 nautical miles, so we timed our arrival for 10:30 a.m. to beat the inbound traffic and snag a good slip. The Harbormaster was cheerful and efficient, assigning us a roomy spot on Float 2. With wide fairways and a port-side stern-in tie, docking was a breeze. Plugged into 50-amp power, we were ready to hit the town—umbrellas in hand.

First stop: The Galley at the Longliner Hotel. We’d been dreaming of this meal since our last visit in 2016, and it was just as good as we remembered. A quick wander through LFS (because it’s impossible not to stop in) led to a fun surprise—running into Todd and Melinda from Empress. We're hoping to rally the gang for a dinner meetup while everyone's in town.

We continued into the heart of Sitka and were struck by how much busier it felt—cruise ship crowds packed the sidewalks and storefronts. Clearly, tourism has boomed since our last visit, and it’s great to see the local economy thriving.

After a stop at the Harbormaster’s office to pay up, we headed back to the boat, made some tentative plans for our stay, and enjoyed a quiet evening aboard, listening to the rain tap the deck.

Magoun Islands Lay Day

Lay day? More like workday.

With a calm anchorage and a decent weather window, I decided not to wait until Sitka to tackle the long-overdue rebuild of our Tecma Silence 2G toilet. After a third round of troubleshooting reluctant flushes, I figured it was time for a full overhaul. I had all the replacement parts on hand, so why not go all in? After nine years of dependable service, it had earned the attention.

Everything came apart smoothly—except one hose fitting that didn’t quite match the new part. I opted to reuse the original for now, with plans to retrofit back in Bellingham.

Three and a half hours later, three perfect flushes I declared a cautiously optimistic sense of victory. If we can squeeze another nine years out of it, I’ll call that a win.

my trusty lexan mirror comes in handy in the tight working area

With the head working and spirits high, it was time for lunch and a round of boat haircuts. Karen and I gave each other long-overdue hair cuts—nothing fancy, but at least we’re less shaggy heading into Sitka.

A productive day in paradise: working systems, clear skies, and just enough breeze to keep things pleasant. Bring on Sitka.

Double Cove to Magoun Islands

We let our neighbors slip out of Double Cove early, then followed a couple hours later, carefully threading back through the kelp beds. We saw a minimum depth of 13 feet (zero tide corrected, using Elbow Passage/Klag Bay as our reference).

The marine forecast continued its winning streak: calm seas and light winds. With no need to dodge swell, we skipped the intricate twists of Piehle Passage and ran the outside route south toward Salisbury Sound. A smooth ride—no boats in sight until we entered the Sound.

As we turned south into Neva Strait, the sun finally broke through. A perfect welcome to the Magoun Islands.

We arrived to find a pocket cruiser already anchored and our friends from the night before—Empress and Escapade—rafted up nearby. We dropped the hook in about 55 feet and made ourselves at home. A beach party was in full swing near the pocket cruiser, so we opted for a dinghy recon mission instead, hoping to check out the lagoon anchorage around the corner.

magoun islands anchorage

On a +3 tide, the lagoon entrance was rocky and tight, with hazards just beneath the surface. We called it off—discretion won out over curiosity.

As the sun dipped lower, the party crew packed up and cleared out. They were quickly replaced by a 60-foot sailboat and two longliners wrapping up their day nearby. Plenty of room for everyone, and the anchorage stayed blissfully quiet.

nothing beats a beautiful day in southeast. Although this year they a far too scarce.

After so many nights alone or with just one neighbor, it felt downright social. Magoun Islands is a perfect staging spot before Sitka—just over an hour away at trawler speed—and clearly a local favorite with its easy beach access and protected waters.

June 20, 2025 – Baker Cove to Double Cove

We left Baker Cove under sunny skies—no grizzly sightings this morning, but the tranquil weather made for an easy two-hour hop to Double Cove. The route hugs the protected inside waters, making for a relaxed cruise.

As we eased past the rocky entrance to Black Bay, Karen spotted two big grizzlies foraging at the head of the bay. A tempting detour, but with a rare forecast for calm seas on the outside of Chichagof Island, we’re taking advantage of the window to keep moving south before the weather turns.

Double Cove is a cozy little anchorage, typically suited for one boat—maybe two if both stern tie. With no one else around, we dropped the hook at the head of the cove with ample room to swing. The entrance is narrow but easy to read, thanks to well-placed kelp beds marking the shallows on both sides. It’s a winding approach, but nothing tricky with good charts and daylight.

Later in the day, we spotted Escapade and Empress approaching on AIS—two larger boats we’d met back in Shearwater. Empress scoped the northwest corner, then waited while Escapade slipped in and nailed a textbook stern tie. Once secure, Empress dropped a bow anchor and rafted up alongside.

Double Bay is more cozy than it looke like in this photo

Perfect execution of a double raft stern tie

It was great to reconnect. A fun side note: I first met one of Empress’s crew back in April when I spotted them tying to the bullrail using what I call the “Douglass Hitch” — a knot I named after my friend Bill Douglass, who picked it up from a fisherman in Auke Bay back in 2010. I posted a how-to video featureing Bill, so take a look and you too will become a convert: YouTube - The Douglass Hitch.

double bay looking out to the pacific ocean. Also, a good look at the shoals that define anchoring choices.

Before dinner, we took a spin in the dinghy to scope out alternate anchor spots (there aren’t many), then swung by Escapade and Empress to catch up and trade notes on cruising plans. A peaceful day, great company, and another gem of a cove checked off the list.

Pelican to Baker Cove, Goulding Harbor

Rather than retrace our steps toward Sitka, we opted for the road less traveled—south down the exposed west coast of Chichagof Island. This route meant reentering the Gulf of Alaska, a place we hadn’t seen since cruising to Prince William Sound back in 2014.

After waving goodbye to Pelican, we headed west down Lisianski Strait—a narrow, scenic channel by Alaskan standards (just half a mile wide in spots). As we approached the open Gulf, the swell made its presence known, crashing against the rocks flanking the entrance. It was a dramatic shift from the protected waters we’d grown used to, but the route is well-charted and easy to navigate with a little attention.

Fortunately, the forecast held: light winds, gentle 3-foot swells, and no surprises. OceanFlyer settled into a comfortable rhythm, and we enjoyed a quiet run—just two fishing boats and two humpbacks for company.

Rounding into Imperial Passage, the seas quickly flattened. The entry to Baker Cove is straightforward, but mind the shallows on the western side—best to hug the deeper center channel on approach.

Baker Cove is a hidden gem. Sedge grass meadows and small creeks line the head of the cove, prime bear habitat if you’re lucky. We anchored in 60 feet at high tide and didn’t wait long.

baker cove

A single, hefty grizzly soon emerged, contentedly grazing for nearly 10 hours straight. He barely noticed us—just sat there like a giant, furry Buddha, blissfully working his way through nature’s salad bar.

A quiet anchorage, beautiful setting, and front-row seat to a grizzly’s buffet. Not a bad way to end the day.