CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Port Alexander, AK Daily Water Report — October 5, 2026

Port Alexander is a selective yes for fishing and sailing, but a firm caution for small boats, kayaks, and anyone hoping for an easy water day. The sea is doing most of the deciding: waves run 2.2–2.6 m, driven largely by a 2.3 m southwest swell at just over seven seconds, with another metre of short-period wind wave mixed in. That is enough motion to make the water feel busy even before the afternoon gusts arrive. The best practical window is early, around first light through midmorning. Winds are lighter than the day’s later peak, and the 10:01 AM high tide overlaps the 7:54–9:54 AM solunar major period. Fishing rates a respectable 6.6/10, helped by that timing, a rising barometer near 1008 hPa, and the tide transition. It is not a glassy, leisurely setup, but it is the day’s most useful overlap. The evening high at 9:27 PM also lines up with the 7:54–9:54 PM major period, though it comes after sunset and with the day’s strongest gusts having reached 35.2 knots around 5 PM. Sailing scores 6.2/10: there is usable SSW wind, roughly 9–16 knots, but gusts and the 2.6 m sea demand a conservative plan. Boating is only 4.3/10 and kayaking 3.5/10, reflecting the combined wind, rain, current, and wave exposure rather than any claim that conditions are safe or unsafe. Diving is similarly middling at 4.7/10; water is cold at about 11–12 C, surface conditions are rough, and the 5.5 km atmospheric visibility says nothing about underwater clarity. Rain is expected throughout the day, with low cloud, near-saturated air, and a raw feels-like temperature near 7 C. Compared with the recent CatchWindow record, fishing improves from 6.0 yesterday, while boating, kayaking, diving, and sailing all slip a little as the sea stays unsettled. Wildlife scores 6.9/10, with the morning tidal and solunar overlap offering the better shore-based timing. The outlook improves after a rougher Tuesday: waves ease markedly from Wednesday onward, reaching roughly 1.0–1.4 m Thursday and Friday as winds also relax. Best bet: fish the early rising tide, then let the afternoon gusts have the last word.