It’s not hard to see why mariners, anglers and commercial fishers are drawn to Sitka given its majestic mountains and deep-blue waters teeming with fish.
Mariners should contact the Harbor Master upon arrival to Sitka on VHF Channel 16, 8 a.m.-11:30 p.m. daily, for directions to services and moorage. The Harbor Department office is open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday. On-duty staff can be reached by calling 907 738-0835 from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
More than 600 transient boats visit here each year. The sea port has the largest harbor system in Alaska with 1,293 slips and 59,484 linear feet (11.25 miles) of infrastructure.
A large inventory of marine products, services and public and private facilities is available, and support businesses include those for repair, electronics, welding and fabrication, fishing gear, heating and refrigeration, industrial sewing, painting, fiberglass repair, boat builders and shipwrights, parts and equipment sales, and marine safety equipment and training.
A detailed list is available at http://www.sitkamarine.com/. The website is administered by Sitka Economic Development Association.
A Transient Float is located outside Thomsen and Eliason harbors. It has 30/50 amp single-phase utilities and potable water.
Small maintenance jobs can be done at the Small Boat Maintenance Facility on Katlian Street. It has lighting, a steel trestle, electrical and water systems, a six-vehicle parking lot, and a driveway onto the ramp. Located between Sitka Sound Seafoods and ANB Harbor, the public tidal grid is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Boats less than 50 feet are charged 80 cents per foot per day. Those larger than 50 feet are charged $1 per foot per day. Moorage and electric charges also apply. A zinc disposal bin is located in the parking lot.
A work float is located near the O’Connell Bridge on the Japonski Island side of the channel. It has power and water and is out of the way of other boaters. The active work float has no lay time. From March 15 to Sept. 15 the first 24 consecutive hours of use are free. Beyond that, and other times of the year, boats smaller than 50 feet are charged 80 cents a foot per day. Those larger than 50 feet are charged $1 a foot per day. Transient daily rates apply.
A work shelter, loading dock and a dock for trollers to work on poles is at Crescent Harbor. To schedule a time, contact the Harbor Master’s office.
Restroom facilities and fresh water are available in all harbors. Users are reminded to turn the water hose off after use. Eliason Harbor has shower facilities. Thomsen, Crescent and Eliason harbors all have pump-out stations.
Several fishing lodges and resorts are in operation around Sitka. Add the sport fish population to the mix, and Sitka’s waterways are busy indeed.
The most popular saltwater fish are king, coho, pink, chum and sockeye salmon, Dolly Varden trout, halibut and rockfish. Freshwater fishing offers sockeye, coho and pink salmon, steelhead and brook trout, and grayling. Crab and shrimp also are abundant.
A complete listing of fishing and hunting regulations may be found through the Alaska Department of Fish and Game office, 304 Lake Street, Room 103. The website address is http://www.state.ak.us/ and www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Region1/weekly/sit.cfm.
Boaters are reminded harbors are a no-fish-waste-dumping zone. Ordinance 13.10.110 Unlawful Disposal in Sitka Harbor System says: ‘‘It is unlawful to: A. Dispose of any fish, shellfish or other animal, or waste parts of fish, shellfish or other animals, into the waters of the Sitka harbor system waters, so as not to attract birds which could create a hazard with aircraft near the Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport. Fines for violations are set out in Section 13.12.050(D); fish waste bins are located at all fish cleaning stations. Fish waste only. No bottles, cans or plastic bags.’’
The city, in cooperation with National Marine Fisheries Service, has issued a statement on sea lions ‘‘hauling out’’ on city floats.
‘‘Don’t turn local Steller sea lions into a new public nuisance. It is illegal to feed Steller sea lions, even by accident. It is also illegal to harass sea lions. That means you cannot use any deterrence measures or make any physical contact, including the use of water hoses, noise-making devices, seal bombs, slingshots or anything else that may drive the animal away. If you encounter a nuisance Steller sea lion, and have concerns regarding your personal safety or the safety of your property, do not take matters into your own hands. Please call the Sitka Harbor Master’s office at 747-3439 or the Sitka Police Department at 747-3245.’’
Dog waste bags are located along the docks. Pet owners are reminded to use them and dispose of them in any of the dumpsters. Sitka has a leash law.
Seaplane takeoffs and landings are designated to run on the Japonski Island side of the channel.
Beyond the O’Connell Bridge no-wake zones extend at least 100 yards. Zones extend farther east in the summer season, so the wake doesn’t cause damage to floats, or dump visitors in the water.
