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In lower Dangerous Passage, multifaceted Jackpot Bay creates a premier boating destination. The bay includes stunning seascapes, a reliable foul weather anchorage, and enough nooks and crannies to satisfy curious kayakers.
From "Exploring Alaska's Western Prince William Sound":
A tapering entrance divides Jackpot Bay into an outer and inner bay. The steep, meandering shoreline with a series of deep, rocky alcoves wraps outer Jackpot Bay. At the bay's mouth, heavily forested Jackpot Island hosts one of the largest pigeon guillemot colonies in the Sound.
Inner Jackpot Bay is spacious, inviting, and generally requires more than a weekend to fully explore. Jackpot Bay includes five notable areas: Seven Fathom Hole, Jackpot Creek Bight, Em’urlug Bay, West Arm, and South Arm. Careful navigation in Jackpot Bay is warranted, as NOAA charts have incorrectly positioned some rocks and omitted others.
SEVEN FATHOM HOLE:
To enter: Boaters should slowly follow a mid-channel course into the bottleneck entrance. After passing through the narrowest part of the constriction, steer slightly W of mid-channel, due to a submerged ledge stretching 30 yds into the channel from the E shore, then return to a mid-channel course into the cove.
Anchorage: The bottom is fairly regular throughout most of the anchorage, with depths of 4-6 fms down the middle. The anchorage, often the calmest place in Jackpot Bay, occasionally gets blasted by gulf weather. Fortunately, the landlocked nature of the basin reduces wave fetch and the sticky mud bottom grips well. The anchorage also showcases a first-class view of Jackpot Peak (2240ft).
Kayaking & Camping: An eye-catching shale beach (with good drainage) lies adjacent to the Seven Fathom Hole entrance. Thick rye covers the rounded berm along with a collection of young spruce trees crowning the top. This convenient, not so secluded, beach site with its scenic exposure to the bay's rugged entrance affords comfortable camping. It also can serve as a fall back campsite if the Jackpot Isthmus camp area is occupied. Stream water is available from a handful of creeks draining into the anchorage.
JACKPOT BIGHT:
To enter: Jackpot Bight is an easily accessible S-facing indention on the bay's upper shore. The main hazards are irregular areas of shallow water, less than 2 fathoms deep, mainly found near the bight's head and areas NE of the prominent bare rock islet and the sediment-filled mouth of Jackpot Creek.
Jackpot Creek: The headwaters of Jackpot Creek begin 8 mi upstream, among the 2,500 ft high peaks bordering McClure Bay in Port Nellie Juan. The creek descends through a chain of lakes in a forested, low-lying valley flanked by towering peaks. During higher tides, the creek is navigable by kayak and raft for more than 0.25 mi. Portages are necessary between lake levels farther upstream.
Jackpot Lakes and associated waterways are spawning destinations for four species of salmon (king, sockeye, coho, and pink) and Dolly Varden. Expect to see black bears foraging along the creek.
Anchorage: Jackpot Bight is a mild weather anchorage. Drop anchor near the bight’s middle, just W or NW of the bare rock islet. (Note: Higher tides cover the rock islet.) The bottom consist of grey mud, 6 fms and less, N of the rock islet. In unsettled weather, the open bight is vulnerable to winds and waves from either arm including slop from the entrance.
Kayaking and Camping: Jackpot Creek Isthmus CS_5-14. At Jackpot Creek’s S entrance point stands a small wooded islet separated from shore by a low, grass/gravel covered isthmus. The isthmus marks the campsite area. The camp is popular and used spring through fall. Depending on tides, the isthmus can be landed-on by kayak, inflatable, or small boat. The berm has space for several tents.
Learn more details about boating, kayaking, beach combing, and camping options in Jackpot Bay and Dangerous Passage by ordering Exploring Alaska's Western Prince William Sound, in paperback or Epub, at Amazon, Google Play or at Apple Books.
