Mother Goose Leg 2, Day 2 – Naha Bay to Yes Bay

After our late night by the bonfire, we decided on the leisurely departure time of 10 am. Deception had put out its crab pots before the bonfire the evening prior, and Brian Jr. and Josh picked them up in the morning. They returned successful, with 4 keepers ready to be cleaned and cooked. When everyone was ready to go, we weighed anchor and left Naha Bay. Once we were back in Behm Canal, we took a right and continued onward toward Misty Fjords. Not a breath of wind stirred the surface of the water and we might as well have been cruising on a mill pond. This made for perfect wildlife spotting conditions. In addition to a number of seabirds, including some rare and interesting species, we saw a large group of Dall’s porpoise feeding in the distance. The black and white animals streaked through the water, sending up tall rooster-tails of water each time they surfaced. The crew of Navigator was especially lucky, as these playful porpoises decided to come ride their bow. Hopefully this was the first of many marine mammal sightings for this trip.

Our anchorage for the evening was Yes Bay, home of the Yes Bay Fishing Lodge. This somewhat odd name is actually derived from the language of the local native people. “Yas” means mussel to the Tlingit, and the bay was certainly full of the shiny black shellfish, which coated every surface of the rocks near the water’s edge. At some point in the area’s history, Yas Bay became Yes Bay, the name it currently holds. We anchored our boats in a small cove just around the corner from the beautiful Yes Bay Lodge. Having called ahead, we were able to make reservations for all 13 members of the fleet to eat dinner up at the lodge. So, at 5 pm we dinghied over to the lodge’s dock and headed inside. The service was wonderful and we enjoyed drinks and appetizers (including delicious crab cakes) before sitting down to eat a feast of caesar salad, freshly caught halibut, and sautéed vegetables, followed by a delicious chocolate cake. No one was hungry when our plates were taken away.

We were so impressed by the lodge and by the beauty of the surrounding area that we decided to postpone our departure and spend an extra day in Yes Bay. Some of our crew will be going out fishing during the lay day, while others will be heading to the nearby Bailey Bay to enjoy a hike to a beautiful lake and some natural hot springs. Just another day on Mother Goose 2010!