Kake City Dock / Harbor

Kake is a Tlingit community with deep roots in the Keku Strait country, situated on the northwest coast of Kupreanof Island roughly 95 air miles southwest of Juneau. The City of Kake operates the small boat harbor at Portage Bay under an arrangement with the State of Alaska, and for visiting boaters it represents one of the few reliable service stops between Petersburg and the Wrangell Narrows corridor to the southeast and Sitka to the west.

The harbor is protected on the west side by a 154-by-3.6-meter floating breakwater and can berth approximately 100 to 140 vessels across its float system. The facility includes a 137.5-foot by 10-foot main float, a seaplane float, and a haul-out grid (16 by 72 feet, rated 6 tons per bent, 8-foot centers) for basic bottom work. The harbormaster's office is located directly adjacent to the floats.

Fuel in Kake requires advance coordination. The Organized Village of Kake operates the fuel dock, and visiting mariners should call ahead — the OVK dock number is (907) 419-2320, available 6:30 am to 2:00 pm. Kake Tribal Fuel, located at 374 Keku Rd, also carries gasoline and diesel (No. 1 and No. 2) and is reachable at (907) 785-3601 on weekdays. Neither dock is a walk-up-anytime operation, so plan accordingly.

Shore power is available at the floats for a flat daily fee. Fresh water is on the docks. Showers and laundry are in town, within easy walking distance of the harbor. Grocery stores are in town as well, though stock is limited in this fly-in or ferry-access community. Mechanical repairs are available at Gunnuck Creek Mechanics, about a mile from the waterfront.

The harbor monitors VHF channel 16. The harbormaster can also be reached by phone at (907) 785-3804 or by fax at (907) 785-4815. Transient moorage rates are assessed at $0.70 per foot per day.

Approach Kake from Keku Strait with attention to the reef system in the general area of the harbor entrance — the float system offers limited storm protection, particularly from southeast weather. The Alaska Marine Highway ferry calls at the Kake ferry terminal, which is separate from the small boat harbor. Community facilities include a clinic and ambulance service (Kake EMS).

For cruisers transiting between Petersburg and Sitka or exploring the inside waters of Chatham Strait and Frederick Sound, Kake makes a practical fuel-and-rest stop in territory that sees relatively light recreational traffic compared to the main Inside Passage corridor.