CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Village Cove, St Paul Island, AK Daily Water Report — October 5, 2026

Village Cove is a selective-go day: workable for capable sailors, marginal to poor for small craft and water-entry plans, with the northwest wind doing most of the vetoing. Sailing leads the activity scores at 7.8/10, but that is a suitability estimate, not a free pass. A representative 24-knot NW wind, gusts near 30 knots and short 1.7 m wind waves will keep the ride energetic and the consequences of a mistake brisk. The least lumpy stretch is around 1 PM, when total wave height is forecast near its daily minimum of 2.08 m. That lines up reasonably with the late-morning solunar major period, 10:21 AM to 12:21 PM, and the afternoon high tide at 4:02 PM. Fishing rates a middling 5.4/10: rising pressure and the major period help the case, but exposed-water wind and wave conditions are the limiting factors. The 8:36 AM low tide is notably low at -0.13 m, so shoreline users should allow for changing footing and a fast-changing waterline before the afternoon fill. Boating (4.1/10), kayaking (3.6/10), and diving (4.5/10) all sit on the wrong side of inviting. The sea is 7.1 C, air temperatures hover around 5–6 C, and the apparent temperature is below freezing in the wind. That combination turns any immersion or prolonged exposure into a serious comfort and recovery problem. Forecast atmospheric visibility is good near 29 km, but it says nothing about underwater visibility. No rain is indicated, though cloud cover remains heavy. Compared with the recent reconstructed history, wind is up from 21.2 knots on October 4 and well above the lighter spell late last month. Sailing improves slightly from yesterday’s 7.4, while fishing, boating, and diving hold essentially flat; wildlife slips to 5.8/10 from yesterday’s 6.5. Tuesday offers lower waves, though still windy. Wednesday turns gustier, and Thursday through Saturday look properly rough, with 3.2–5.2 m seas and stronger winds; Sunday is the first forecast day showing a meaningful wind reduction, though seas remain elevated. Best bet: if you are sailing and properly prepared, use the early-afternoon wave minimum as the day’s narrowest decent window—then let the northwest remind you who owns the place.