July 27th and 28th Kake to Red Bluff Bay
Trip Length 30 nm
We went to Red Bluff Bay on the advice of other cruisers we talked to before Kake and it turned out to be one of our favorite anchorages along with our next stop at Baranof Warm Springs directly to the North.
Red Bluff Bay is at the end of a small inlet about 30 nm West of Kake. Nice cruise other than had high water alarm as I must have kicked off lazarette bilge pump switch when I cleaned windowscary. We got going fairly early as wind was to kick up in Chatham Strait. Crossed strait with 3-4 foot chop and no problem with stabilizer on. Got to Red bluff bay..what a cool wonderful place. Entrance hard to see from strait but not hard to navigate, just stay center channel.
Marcia had read guide that prawns could be had on northwest corner of island 85(which we finally figured out meant 85 foot high on chart) so we dropped shrimp trap on the way in. Ended up getting over 50 prawn on the first night when we used dinghy to retrieve trap and 40 or so next night when we picked trap up on way out.
Arrived as only folks there and took a cruise around the bay since it was not raining. Saw the wonderful waterfall, nosed up river in dinghy. No bears. Guys put out crab traps near boat (we saw a crab when we took dogs to shore). Guys grilled tenderloins for dinner YUM!
The next day we deployed kayaks. Guys went to check shrimp trap and Marcia and I tried to paddle up river since it was high tide. Could not make it far due to current. No bears but I did see a dear in meadow. Beautiful views..waterfalls everywhere! Guys got 44 prawns very happy guys…also got 5 crabs! Monsters.
Guys went for evening kayak to falls. Then I went in kayak with terra to falls later. All got rained on. Terra had to do dog business. I was able to pull up to a steep shore and let her off and she peed and poohed. Just before water fall I came around corner and was just a few yards off shore BEAR! Right there and very interested in us. He dipped foot in water but I backed away quickly and he did not follow. Terra shivered and one faint woof…not much of a bear dog. I looked at falls and then paddled back.
We cooked and cleaned crab but saved it as we had grilled prawns with magic sauce.
10 sail boats came in on our second night.
No more bears where encountered.
Sailboat gang just put dogs a shore and let them frolick and some also went to bear meadow and hung out….. we maybe too conservative on worrying about bears but maybe not.