WRANGELL NARROWS
This waterway is a well known and exciting part of any trip in Alaska and
the passage provides the shortest route bet~een Wrangell and Petersburg. The
southern entrance at Point Alexander on ~!itkof Island (off Sumner Strait) is
about 20 miles west of ~rangell. The Narrows consist of 21 miles of waterway
with over 66 navigation markers, leading to Petersburg in the north, where it
opens on to Frederick Sound. At night, ~ith its myriad of flashing red and
green lights it is easy to understand its nickname of "Christmas Tree Lane."
It i5 not pos5ible with the small charts and brief eomments of this guide
to describe the many details of the ~arrow5, nor is it intended. This guide
merely describes significant and interesting aspects of the passage. It i5
essentiai that the navigator use large scale Chart #17375.
The ship channel narro~s in plaees to 300 feet wide, and though the major
section was dredged to 24 feet the contro11ing depth in 1983 was 19 feet.
Presently the 1arger vessels that ~ight be encountered are the Alaska State
Ferries, which use the narro~s at high tide. ~hen one has to share it with a
ferry the channel can appear almost too narro~, but ~ith luck you may not see
one.
Far smal1 boat use when navigating the channel it is recommended that chart
17375 (which divides the Narrows into two sections printed side by side) be cut
along the vertical division; then match and tape the two sections together in a
long continuous chart of the waten.;ay. By folding this into four it gives a
handy and useful reference chart size at the helm far the actual transito It
wil1 assist navigation if a check mark is placed as each odd (or even) beacon
is passed. This will not only determine position but will a1so allow a skipper
to make a quick decision as to whether he can move off the channel (and to
which side) if a large vessel is met in the Narrows. With the aid of the chart
the passage can be taken easily by alI small craft. High-speed powered vessels
should slow down to reduce the turbulence of the wake they create.
Far most slow-speed small craft goir.g either way, the passage should be
conunenced on the last part of the flood. The currents enter \\rangell Narro~s
from both ends to meet at about Green Point (9 miles from Petersburg and 12
miles from the southern entrance). Thus, a prudent skipper wi!l arrange his
entry to carry a favorable current alI the ~ay through.In foggy weather il is strongly recommended that the passage be deIayed
untii it i8 clear, even if the vessel is equipped with radar. If fog is
encountered when in the passage it is wise to haul wel1 of! the ehanne1 at the
first opportunity to anchor and ~ait for clearing. Though yachts can do this
at severa l places the best site i5 at Halfmoon Anchorage (about 8 1/2 miles
from the southern entrance), where depths are 2 to 3 fathorns, mud. Other areas
off the channel may have hard or rocky bottoms and kelp.Dry Strait is an apparent alternative route north from Wrangell, but it
should not be attempted without 10ea1 kno~ledge. Considerable shoaling and
muddy water, with strong currents can put a stranger in difficu1ties. Keku
Strait, further west of the Sarrows is not avaiIable as navigation markers have
been removed. The only alternative to the Narrows is to proceed through Sumner
Strait, around Cape Decision and up Chatham Strait.