Who's been to Naknek, or King Salmon, Alaska?

R

Rabidfish

New member
Long story short...

I need information on how to get a C Dory (22 cruiser) from the end of the Alaska Highway Ferry,(King Cove, AK) to Naknek, AK. Even Dillingham might work...

Final destination: King Salmon, AK. Northwest corner of Katmai Park.

Once the boat is there, we're fine. But the extended cruise around the northwest side of the peninsula is probably more than we're ready for.

Thanks !
 
Hi, I lived in Dillingham off and on for about 15 years, homesteaded a cabin north of there. I also spent a good bit of time flying the area around DLG and King Salmon. If you send me a description of your plans and dates, I may be able to steer you on to something (or away from something) The dates are a big factor. E-mail me at akbpilot@yahoo.com If I get some time this weekend I'll see what i can do.
Bruce
 
We lived in King Salmon for six years while I was Chief Ranger and pilot at Katmai, so reasonably familiar with the area (transferred out in 1987).

As Bruce said, your plans, timetable and overall objective are important.

When we had big/heavy stuff to ship-in (ie. 25' Boston Whaler, vehicles, dozers, etc...) we found it was cost effective to "barge" it directly from Seattle to Naknek.

Feel free to email me direct ( lorencasebeer@aol.com ) if you like.

Casey Casebeer
C-Dory Naknek
 
I too spent time in both areas fishing salmon and have flown in and out of both also. As stated, most things are barged in. There is however an alternative that could work for a smaller vessel such as a C-Dory and that would be to find someone going up to do work as a tender. My guess would be that a large King Crab boat or the like could handel the task but the problem is to find one that is here and planning on going up there. The next issue would be to find a way to meet up with them for off loading as most boats are just slung over the side into the bay or river. Not a very easy place to just send your boat to and my guess not worth it unless your plan is to leave it there long term.

Good luck and keep us folks with past experiences in the area posted with your results as I'm sure we're all interested in the outcome of this venture.

Tim
 
Choice A: Put it on a Northland Services Barge from King Cove to King Salmon ~ $$$$$, 2 week time frame (spring time).

Choice B: You can pilot the boat through Shelikof Strait rom King Cove to Williamsport in Cook Inlet where you & it are put on a modified logging truck and taken over the mountains to the Iliamna Lake system & you can float it down to Naknek & on to King Salmon ~ Less $$$, longer time & a pucker factor of 9 going over the mountains...... :xlol

Choice C: Contact Peter Pan Seafoods in King Cove (or Dillingham) & see if they will put it on a net barge or tender heading to Naknek ~ $$$, probably won't go until salmon season (late May or early June).

Other Choices: Pilot it from King Cove to Naknek in good weather if you have the time or buy it a ticket on a Herc if you win the lottery!

Good luck
 
See... Now this is why I love this site!

Just when I was getting ready to go all "Captain Kirk" and go where... well... you know.... Somebody has already been there, and took their C Dory while going! ( Who's been to Spitzburgen? OR C Dorys across Asia?)

The "planned timeframe" was for June, but it sounds as if our opinion is the least important factor in that decision. Obviously, getting it there is best suited for when a larger ship is going. Once it's there, it's not coming home. So a round trip isn't a factor.

I hate to sound hayseed, but here all our 1000fters are filled with taconite, limestone, or the occasional kernel of corn. Or held in storage until the water gets hard enough to drive a truck across it. Seldom is anything shipped via boat.

I appreciate all who offered to help via email. I still need your expertise, but please lets do it here for all to see. Maybe we'll all learn something from you. I know I have already!

I guess I need info on who to contact (Shipping company, Freight barge operator, Crab boat owner?) Nothing is really coming up via search engine... Or, I do not know what to look for... ( Company names, websites, phone numbers, etc...)

Thanks,

Craig

EDIT: PS. I feel a little funny about this subject. As a dealer, I should know about moving boats around. This customer told me what he wants to do with his boat. I have some responsibilty to help him make it so. I just can't hand this guy the keys, slap him on the back and say "thanks for your business". I just don't run that kind of place. :)
 
My choice would be barge from Seattle, might be the best way to go. Either Sealand or Peter Pan as posted earlier. Less fuss and muss, Just shrink wrap the boat in Seattle, send it on the deck of a barge. I've seen many boats shipped that way. Yes the is a road from Naknek to King Salmon, should be no problem to get it hauled over. Be prepared to wait if you try to do anything during salmon season. Fishing boats, fish, crew and gear get top priority.
I think the ferry would run about $5,000 for the boat alone, and would take about 2 weeks, including delays for scheduling. The run up the coast from Cold Bay or King Cove is not for the faint of heart. There are few places to hide, little or no services, and the storms when they come are vicious, 40 to 60 kt winds, huge seas, with shallow areas along the coast that cause the seas to pile up and break. The storms usually last 3 days (not sure why, just seems that is the routine)with a few brief lulls (sucker holes), travel around 20kts along the chain ( a storm that is in Adak one day will be in your lap the following day) and follow a path from southwest to northeast like they have eyes. I've done the route by plane a couple of times while spring bear hunting, and lucked out with good weather both times, did a lot of the area in the fall while caribou hunting and got pounded more times then not. Just a crap-shoot. Would be an awesome cruise, but probably best done in something more then a C-dory.
The Williamsport/Illiamna route might be a no-go. The road washed out in 2003, and I'm not sure if it's been repaired yet. If it has, that would be a good route. Ferry to Homer, run across Cook Inlet to Pile Bay. Need to get a trailer to haul, or might be able to barge whole works to Pile Bay. Illiamna is a huge lake, some protected anchorage, and the Kvichak river is runnable with a prop. Problem would be how to deal with the trailer.
 
I ran with a skipper in 1992 from King Salmon, AK to Sand Point, AK, about an 80 mile journey if I remember correctly, and we encountered about 20 to maybe 30 foot seas. We were in a 34 foot low profile fiberglass boat with 6'6" of keel and about 6,000 lbs of cement at the bottom with a rounded stern towing a 16 foot aluminum skiff behind us. That was the roughest water I have ever been and care to be in again.

Most of the time up there that summer commercial fishing the water wasn't bad but if it were to get a rough storm like some of the folks mentioned I wonder how a CD 22 woud do?

Sure enjoyed the area up there and would love to see all the bears again on the shore only when we were in the skiff. Talk about a peaceful place to be!

Hope you are able to safely get the boat there and the folks enjoy it.

Crazy Frazey (John)
 
John,

You may want to recheck the mileage from King Salmon to Sand Point.

Flight distance (direct) is closer to 450 miles, and via the water to False Pass and King Cove is something like 700 miles.

...make sure you've got plenty of gas and Pilot Bread!

Casey
C-Dory Naknek
 
Hey, Thanks all for your timely reponses!

It looks like Northland Services has the best choices for us(as far as availablility) Right friendly folks too! Answered all my questions, and very patient also.

FYI: It's gonna run about $4000.00 and I wouldn't do it for less... If we had the time to dig around, we might uncover a better rate, but we'd have to be there waiting for the boat. This gives us more options and shipping dates... There's not much of Alaska they won't deliver to... Although they did make sure it wasn't going to that Red Fox guy! :shock:

Just kidding Greg :P
 
Casey,

Can't remember the names of the places anymore...I think it was King Cove that we visited from Sand Point and back after about a week there.

I was looking at a map later after the post and realized King Salmon is quite a long ways from Sand Point so I was mistaken on the names.

My brother had the opportunity to catch a flight on (I believe) a C-97 Stratolifter (?) over to King Salmon where they were picking up salmon to fly back to a cannery near Kenai or somewhere near there. Mixing names up...

Sure would like to take our CD22 up to Alaska when we can get the time.

Really enjoyed meeting you at Blakely. Hope all is well.

John
 
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