A former logging-camp town turned tidy community midway up Clarence Strait's west shore, Thorne Bay offers a sheltered bay, a long public float, and rare full services for cruisers on the inside of Prince of Wales Island.
Thorne Bay sits on the east coast of Prince of Wales Island, about 40 miles north of Ketchikan and tucked off the west side of Clarence Strait at the mouth of the Thorne River. Once one of the largest logging camps in North America, the town now reads as a quiet, road-connected community arranged on gentle hills around its namesake bay.
The harbor lies on the north side of the bay, where a roughly 440-foot state float serves as the town's floating downtown, with year-round transient moorage, water, and 30/50-amp power. Fuel (gas, diesel, and propane) is available, and within an easy walk are a grocery store, liquor store, hardware store, post office, a seasonal restaurant, and restrooms with showers.
For those preferring to swing on the hook, the bay itself opens out to the west and northwest of the public float, offering protected water with room to anchor away from the moorage. It makes a comfortable, often-overlooked alternative to the better-known anchorage at Meyers Chuck, 11 miles across the strait.
Approach notes, hazards to watch for, and what's available once you're tied up.
Approach is made from Clarence Strait, entering the bay from the east. The strait itself is broad and deep, but cruisers should consult NOAA Chart 17423 and the Coast Pilot, as the inner bay and its arms shoal and contain rocks and drying ledges that are not all obvious; favor a careful mid-channel approach into the harbor on the north side of the bay.
The town and float are well marked locally and monitored on VHF 16. Reduce speed inside the bay, watch for log and float-plane traffic and crab-pot floats, and verify swinging room and depth on the chart before setting the hook, as charted detail in the inner bay is limited.
Wind protection summary and tide planning at a glance. Full per-direction and 7-day detail with Plus.
Live readings from the nearest OpenWeather station and WorldTides; refreshed every few minutes.
Source: OpenWeather One Call API + WorldTides.
A curated photo + map walkthrough showing approach, mooring options, and points of interest.
A guided walkthrough of Thorne Bay with approach photos, depth notes, and points of interest — written by members who have been here recently.
Real first-hand reports and questions answered by members who have actually been here.
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