Valdez Arm is the busy commercial shipping highway of the northern Sound. Running northeastward, it acts as the marine gateway for supertankers transiting to and from the Alyeska Pipeline Marine Terminal, as well as cruise ships, commercial seiners, and recreational cruisers.
Navigation & Safety
Tanker Traffic & Escort Zones: Be highly alert for large crude oil tankers transiting the arm. Under Federal Homeland Security regulations, a mandatory Naval Vessel Protection Zone (NVPZ) extends in a 500-yard slow-speed buffer and 100-yard exclusion zone around all escorted tankers. Maintain active VHF radio contact.
Valdez Narrows: This narrow, steep passage guards the entrance to the Port of Valdez. Transiting tankers have the right-of-way. Always monitor VHF Channel 13 and VHF Channel 16 and stay well clear of the commercial vessel track.
Anchorages: Valdez Arm offers excellent, well-protected coves, including Jack Bay, Sawmill Bay, and the dramatic Shoup Bay State Marine Park with its active kittiwake nesting colonies.
Key Region Highlights
Valdez Narrows NVPZ
Alyeska Marine Terminal
Shoup Bay Marine Park
Sawmill Spit Sanctions
💨 Weather Telemetry & Multi-Model Forecast
Cross-referenced predictions & active sensor readings
Status: Active Live Query
Cache State: Dynamic / Live Sync
*Values are compiled via API matching and NOAA local models. Predicted wind speed values represent sustained wind estimates in knots. Dynamic variance reflects divergence from global GFS baseline forecasts.
This region transits the Eastern District (Purse Seine/Gillnet). During active commercial drift-gillnetting and purse-seine openings, hundreds of commercial fishing vessels deploy nets stretching 900 to 1,500 feet across the channel.
District Coverage: Eastern District (Purse Seine/Gillnet)
Standard Summer Openings: Subject to Eastern District / Solomon Gulch Hatchery openings
Navigation Directives inside Net Mazes:
Reduce Speed: Keep vessel at slow transit speeds to avoid drifting gillnets which float just below the surface.
Never Cross Seine Halves: Do not pass between a seining vessel and its active seine skiff. The net block is absolute.
Active Radio Watch: Keep VHF radio tuned to Channel 16 and Channel 10 (standard local commercial coordination).
Identify Net Markers: Look for orange or red poly-balls marking the tail-ends of drift nets. Pass at least 150 feet clear of buoy markers.
Search public Prince William Sound community pages, groups, and fishing logs for active catch reports, target locations, or transit obstacles (shrimping, salmon, halibut).
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