Just putting out feelers for a trip I am trying to organize to Prince William Sound this summer, last two weeks of July.
I have room for up to 15 people. Planned accomodations will be a Walled Tents and Cot ina sheltered bay for 5 days and 4 nights on Glacier Island, Prince Wiliam Sound. The campsite will be a short 8-9 mile kayak trip to the face of Columbia Glacier.
I am trying to make this trip on as inexpensive as possible, and am going myself to fish from a kayak. The reason I am opening up to non-kayak fishermen, is to try to get the 15 people limit, and reduce the cost per person for the water taxi shuttle to the island from Valdez, AK.
I chose Glacier Island because it will have fair fishing, and excellent sight seeing potential, especially for those who would like to see a Glacier up close form a kayak. (I plan on spending one day doing this myself.)
I will share y days catch with other campers, if interested, as nothing tastes better than fresh Halibut or Salmon cooked within hours of catch… Possibility to set up prawn traps too.
YotF
Have fun
That area is a great paddling destination, and you can’t beat the fishing. Definitely take the time to paddle up by the bergs at the mouth of the glacier (granted the closest you can get to Glacier itself is around 6 miles away), but follow the rule of 2x height: stay twice the distance from the berg as it is high. when they roll, they can roll quickly and they usually give no warning. Especially on a rising tide as they might actually be beached and will float free and roll. Will you be spending your entire trip out in the Sound or are you looking for other options in the area as well?
I am staying in Valdez and the remote
site in the sound… Provided I get enough people to come along… Going solo is not something I want to do…
I have been to Seward, too many tourists, and the fishing is not as nice as Valdez… ant to avoid combat fishing, ala the Kenai Peninsula.
PWS provides the best Halibut fishing in the state, with alot of protection from storms and rough seas. Better than Ketchikan…
Alaska is in my blood, I would move their if my wife would let me.
YotF
believe me i know
the valdez area in my opinion is the nicest in the state. I own a lodge 60 miles north of Valdez on the Richardson Hwy, which I enjoy more than Valdez due to being on the “good” side of Thompson Pass where it is usually sunny, but still within the Chugach Range. I avoid the Kenai like the plague. my business would probably be more successful with more tourists, but I wouldn’t want it to be anywhere else. If you want any local advice on other activities to do in the area, i’d be more than willing to share some of my favorites.
With Cruise Ships starting to return to
Valdez, your business could pick up… It would if you were in Valdez proper…
60 Miles out… Hmmm, supposed to be some REAL NICE Grayling fishing that way!
Do you know any of the guides in Valdez? I suspect you might know one I have worked with, since he takes hunters up your way for big game.
YotF
guide
what’s his name? i know a couple.
the cruise ships won’t really affect me where i’m at directly, but i believe there is a delay of a few years from them where people might take a cruise, get a taste of an area, and then come back in a few years to actually see alaska and venture around the state a bit more. “Experiencing” Alaska on a cruise is like experiencing an area by going to the local Walmart.
as for the grayling, i don’t know what your’re talking about. nothing to see here, move right along…
Otto Kulm… He took the Nuge out
for Bear on a Bow last year when I was there…
Yep, them Grayling! ;-p I have a 2 eight that is itching to land a few of them… Beautiful fish…
YotF
What are your rates at the Lodge?
Just trying to weigh all options…
YotF
Nice… Thanks…
YotF
Yak,
Refresh my memory, aren't you retired military? If so, you just might have access to the morale boats at the CG base in Valdez. I left in '05, so things might have changed with the new CO and all. Eieilson AF Base has a couple of morale boats there, as well.
Glacier Island is great. I personally prefer western PWS myself, though. Much more access to glaciers. Which outfitter are ya going through? Water taxis don't require a minimum to ferry you out, but it sure does help when you can split the cost. I was planning a 3 week trip this summer to visit family, paddle and fish, but it's on hold for now. With any luck, I'll be back for another tour soon. Anchorage, Valdez, Sitka or Juneau is what I'll be asking for. Though they would really love to send me to Kodiak Island instead...screw that crap!!!!
Yep, I am Retired Military. I rentd
one of the Air Force Boats with two other retirees last year, but they do not allow you past Jack’s Bay. Also, the boats are small, and don’t have room to transport a yak, let alone three or four.
I am currently working with two separate services, one if I can get a large group, the other if I only get a few…
If I can get 15 people, then Kimberlin’s will be my choice, as they can provide for such a large group, and the cost for the Water Taxi would be affordable…
However, if only 6 total, I will go with the same guy I went with last year, and head further out to Hinchenbrook Island, Shelter Bay Cabin, as the fishing is better, and he provides guided Halibut charters as part of the package… You basically pay for two days of 6 pack Hali charter for the ride there and back, plus fishing…
You sure you can’t make it late July? You KNOW you want to, don’t you? Besides, catching 44"+ Lings and the possibility of a 100 plus Hali from a Kayak has to sound intriguing…
Alaska is in my blood, Valdez being my favorite place. I would move there if the bride would go… She wants NOTHING to do with the White Stuff, or Alaska. Oh well, two weeks every year will have to suffice.
YotF
Whats your plan for kayaks? Are you
renting, bringing your own, using folding kayaks?
Are the wall tents part of the shuttle package?
Whats the suggestion for getting to Valdez?
Might you be able to provide some “ball park” costs for the shuttle with the two group sizes you mentioned?
thanks, sounds like a great trip.
Kayaks are being rented…
With the 15 person party, the total cost, without Airfare and Food, is around $500.00 a person (for 5 days/4 nights, assuming all 15 people… If fewer, then the cost rises as the Water Taxi is a set fee, and the above assumes $3600.00 divided among 15 people)… Unfortunately, this option does not look like it will come to pass, as I might be able to get 6 people.
Thus if only 6 people, the cost rises to around $750.00 a person, without food or air (Due to cost of water taxi as above)… The accomodations in this case would be a Remote Forest Service Cabin (Shelter Bay, Hinchenbrook Island or similiar) and Tents in Valdez…
In the large group, there will be a combination of SIK and SOT kayaks, and in the small group, only SOT’s (WS Ride 135’s)…
YotF
Forgot the suggestions to get to
Valdez…
Fly Alaska Airlines and their partner Era Airlines (Anchorage to Valdez), Currently R/T is around $850.00 from Orlando, around $1000.00-$1200.00 form places Alaska Airlines does not fly (Atlanta for instance). Roughly $300.00 of this is the trip from Anchorage to Valdez and back…
If 6 people, I could rent a minivan/SUV for around $650.00 a week, which would reduce the above costs slightly, and allow MUCH more freedom to get around Valdez when not at the remote cabin…
I plan on two weeks in Alaska, over a full week in Valdez in addition to the remote island. I plan on trying for some Grayling in the rivers of Thompson Pass, which would be AWESOME… Though the drive from Anchorage is long, the scenery should be MAGNIFICENT.
YotF
Ha!
"You sure you can't make it late July? You KNOW you want to, don't you?"
Come on, I know what this is all about. You KNOW you want me to donate all my Alaska Air miles to you, right? :)
MMMM...arctic grayling. Good stuff right there, man. Tasty sauteed in butter -n- olive oil. Stop by Hook, Line and Sinker and pick up some of the wet/dry flys. Tell 'em you'll be fishing up at Blueberry Lake and they'll hook you up. Casting on the bushes/cliff side will give you easy pickings and they really love those flys.
What out for the blackies in those bushes, though, even so close to the highway and the foot traffic. Nothing compared to them huge ass brownies on Hinchinbrook, though. Dude, you are hard core! My idea of fishing is slaying them from an Aux boat, not a fricken kayak at the Hinchinbrook Entrance. You funny, funny man! :P
***Edited in to say...Damn you, Yak! I just busted out my tackle boxes and I'm now fondling a Vibrax and a shad. I hate you.
Well, now that you offered, I sure could
use the miles, and you wouldn't want them to go to waste now, would you? ;-p
As for being hardcore, it really isn't that bad in July.. Quite nice actually, and the Hali's and Ling off Hinchenbrook are AWESOME, and make the effort well worth it!!! Caught a 44" Ling within the first hour on the island... and probably 20 Chicken Hali and several more +36" Ling the first day... Also hooked and lost at the yak, a nice Coho... All on Jigs.. No bait. Imagine what I could have caught using bait!
You have a day like that, and you will never go back to a stink pot to catch hali or Ling.
As for the Bears, only saw a Cow and her cub at the creek 300 meters from the cabin last year... (Where we had to go to get fresh water!) She was more afraid of me than we were of her... We had NO FIREARMS, BTW...
You KNOW you want to try it, don't you! ;-p We will even let you bring the firepower for the Brownies should they get beligerent...
BTW: We are also thinking of changing to a cabin on Green Island, the inside of Montague, os the north shore of Hinchenbrook... All more sheltered from the open water than Shelter Bay, which was almost glass when we were there last year... (Two foot swells tops)
YotF
Two openings remaining
Just bumping to the top…
Interestingly, no P-Net interest so far…
YotF
Ever been to Port Chalmers?
I am going to try to get either the Port Chalmers cabin or the Green Island Cabin for this…
Both are much more sheltered from the open ocean weather than Sheltered Bay.
YotF