Alaska Flotilla: Leg 5, Day 11 – Yes Bay Lay Day
We spent a quiet night in our secluded anchorage in Yes Bay. We enjoyed a relaxing morning, watching the bay come to life with eagles, harbor seals and other diving birds. Not needing to be anywhere, we slept in and spent some time with our books, projects and crossword puzzles. The morning started off misty, but by afternoon we had partly sunny skies and clearer weather.
The crew on Victoria went out fishing and managed to catch three salmon and three crabs. Discovery also had success with their crab pot! We are eating well off of the abundance here in Alaska.
In the afternoon, we headed out on our dinghies to explore. Cruising along the shoreline we admired the moss and lichen laden trees, and the many shades of green that sprang from the ground. We cruised passed the Yes Bay Lodge which is a fishing lodge that has been operating here for over 40 years. A short side trip up a small stream led to picturesque rapids complete with jumping salmon.
On our way back, we stopped by the lodge to check it out. This led to a fun afternoon of pool playing and story-telling. In the early 1900s, Yes Bay was home to a salmon cannery. The lodge building itself was originally built to be a brothel and casino. The lodge looks exactly how you would imagine a fishing lodge in Alaska to look. A giant fireplace filled one wall of the main room surrounded by comfortable leather couches. Stuffed moose, elk, bear, wolf, goat and fish hung from the surrounding walls. Fishing photos of grinning guests with their catches filled the remaining spaces.
The bartender shared some great stories with us about the history of the bay. He told us stories of pirate Joe, who was hung here for thieving. Joe’s treasures went to the grave with him, and there are still rumors of the goods being hidden in the area somewhere. A collection of old artifacts that had been found on the beaches nearby gave insight into the past ways of life here in Yes Bay. Seal oil candles, rusty tools, broken pieces of pottery, fishing lures, and parts of old weapons all had stories to tell.
