Delight Creek flows generally southwest for 2 miles (3.2 km) from Delight Lake to the entrance of McCarty Lagoon, approximately 51 miles (82 km) southwest of Seward and 43 miles (69 km) east-southeast of Homer, Alaska. The lagoon is about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) wide and 2 miles (3.2 km) long and lies on the eastern shore of McCarty Fjord in Kenai Fjords National Park and Preserve. It is named after the McCarty Glacier, a name first reported by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1911. The glacier is believed to be named after William McCarty, a boat builder and owner of the McNeily Cafe, or Moose Cabin Cafe, in Seward from 1904 to 1905.

McCarty Fjord, historically known as East Arm Nuka Bay, has average depths exceeding 600 feet (183 m), except at a terminal moraine where depths are 60 feet (18 m) or less. This moraine crosses the fjord between McCarty Lagoon on the east and James Lagoon on the west. The entrance to McCarty Lagoon is exposed at low tide, but shallow-draft vessels can enter at high tide. Tidal currents at the entrance reach 8-12 knots (4-6 m/s), so transiting is best at high water slack. The entrance is narrow, and Delight Creek flows through a broad gravel flat on the north shore. This area was once forested, but the 1964 Alaska earthquake caused significant subsidence, leading to saltwater inundation that killed the trees. Today, a ghost forest stands at the mouth of Delight Creek.

Delight Lake is a key natural producer of sockeye salmon. Along with Desire Lake, it accounts for most of the commercial salmon catch from East Nuka Bay on the outer coast of Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. This fishery has been vital for the residents of Port Graham and Nanwalek since the early 1900s. Delight Lake also attracts a popular fly-in sport fishery for sockeye, coho salmon, and Dolly Varden. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game annually counts the sockeye salmon returning to this system. This information is crucial for determining when to open or close the commercial harvest and for setting sustainable escapement goals. Read more here and here. Explore more of Delight Creek and McCarty Lagoon here: