224 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Time did not permit sounding inside of Rodman Reach, but from all appearances 
it may be entered far enough to obtain shelter from all winds. The first projecting 
point has a spit extending from it. 
It is said that a 5-fathom ridge, or bar, extends from Cape Alitak to Cape Trinity, 
and that kelp has been seen in places on it. The Albatross on entering encountered 
the shoal soundings at this point, and also on leaving, as shown on the chart. The 
shoals off the southwest end of Tugidak Island are said to run in ridffes. 
The Narrows . — About 1 mile to the northward of Chips Cove is the southern 
entrance to the Narrows which lead to Olga Ba} r . The}^ are about 1 mile in length 
and in the narrowest part about 300 feet in width. The channel is tortuous with 
many rocks, some of which uncover at low water, and others which are only apparent 
by the heavy swirls over them when the current is running full. The small cannery 
steamers use the Narrows, but local knowledge is necessary and a large vessel should 
not attempt the passage. With the current running full the cannery steamers wait 
for slack water, which occurs two hours after high and low water at Snug Harbor. 
The current at its greatest velocity probably reaches 8 knots. It is said that 
3i fathoms can be carried through the channel at low water, but this statement should 
be received with caution. 
Observations with sextant and artificial horizon for geographical position were 
obtained at the northern entrance to Snug Harbor, which gave latitude 56° 59' 26" | 
north, longitude 154° 12' 22" west. Variation by compass declinometer 29° 17' east. 
Establishment from 8 successive high waters, at moon’s age from five to nine days: 
XI h 38 m . Mean rise and fall of tide during same period, 6.71 feet. 
Olga Bay is an irregular-shaped body of water lying in a general east-and-west • 
direction, rather crescentic in form, with the cusps to the southward; it is from 
17 to 18 miles in length, with a width of from one-half mile to 2 miles. The western 
end is the largest and is separated from the sea about 6 miles to the northward of 
Low Cape by a strip of low land only three-fourths of a mile wide. The bay has the 
appearance of a lake, and having such a narrow passage to the sea the tidal influence 
is not very great, the rise and fall varying from 1 to 2 feet at the cannery. 
OLGA BAY CANNERIES. 
The only operating cannery in this section is located on the northern shore of 
Olga Bay, about 10 miles from the northern end of the Narrows. The history was 
given from incomplete data in my report of 1897, but as some additional information 
has become available, it is rewritten here. 
Arctic Packing Company . — In 1889 this company built a cannery in the south- 
western end of Olga Bay, at the mouth of a small stream on the eastern shore known 
as the South Olga Fishing Station. The cannery was not well equipped, and the 
capacity was only from 250 to 300 cases per day. As the location was not favorable 
it was moved the following year across the bay to a point S miles to the northward, 
on the right bank and near the mouth of a small stream known as the North Olga 
Fishing Station, which is its present position. The change of location was very 
satisfactory, and the cannery was much improved in equipment, buildings, etc. 
In 1891, under an agreement with the Kodiak Packing Company, in the same 
locality, the cannery of the latter was closed and its quota of fish was packed in the 
Arctic cannery. In 1892 it was in the pool formed by the Alaska Packing Association, 
