McLean Arm is a narrow inlet extending 6.5 miles (10.5 km) west from Clarence Strait on the southeastern coast of Prince of Wales Island in the Tongass National Forest, situated approximately 40 miles (65 km) southwest of Ketchikan and 40 miles (65 km) southeast of Hydaburg, Alaska. The inlet was named in 1885 by Lieutenant Commander Richardson Clover of the U.S. Navy in honor of Ensign Walter McLean, a member of the survey team. The name “Prince of Wales Island” first appeared in the treaty of February 16-28, 1825, between Great Britain and Russia. Historically, logging was the mainstay of the collective economy of Prince of Wales Island throughout most of the 20th century. Remote logging camps proliferated, and in many cases, the most efficient way to support logging crews was with floating facilities. McLean Arm Bay provided excellent anchorage, protected from the williwaw winds caused by the adjacent mountains.

The Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska supports about a quarter of the world’s remaining temperate rainforest, characterized primarily by Sitka spruce and western hemlock. This region’s temperate rainforests occupy a distinct climatic zone with high annual precipitation, cool and frequently overcast summers, dormant seasonal periods, and relatively infrequent fires. Roughly 90% of the Tongass temperate rainforest is old growth, identified by multi-layered tree canopies, numerous large trees, snags, and downed woody material. About 7% of the commercially productive old growth has been harvested since the 1950s, with another 23% expected to be harvested by 2150. Most commercial logging occurs in low-elevation forests near sea level, as these areas are more accessible and contain the most productive timber, making them economically viable for cutting and removal.

During World War I, the Emergency Fleet Corporation was established by the United States Shipping Board to acquire, maintain, and operate merchant ships for national defense and commerce needs. An abundance of timber in the Pacific Northwest led to the construction of a large fleet of wooden ships. Hundreds were being built when the armistice was declared. Incomplete merchant ships without engines were eventually sold at auction. In 1922, Western Marine and Salvage Company bought 233 ships to remove machinery before burning them. Many ships were converted into barges or floating bunkhouses at remote logging camps. Deteriorating hulls still serve as docks and breakwaters throughout Alaska and British Columbia. More often, they were abandoned, such as the derelict vessel exposed at low tide in McLean Arm. Read more here and here. Explore more of McLean Arm Bay and Prince of Wales Island here: