Petersburg named best yachting town

Petersburg recently found out that it has won Yachting Magazine's '2013 Best Towns' competition.

Dan Harding, Associate Editor for Yachting Magazine, wrote in an article, "Joining the ranks of Oxford, Maryland and Beaufort, North Carolina, the Alaskan fishing village has reminded us that the appeal of a destination is not always measured in amenities and attractions, and that natural beauty and character are what make a place truly special."

And the same sea lion plaguing boaters this year might be the same animal Harding included as part of Petersburg's charm.

"Navigate through Alaska's southern islands into the port of Petersburg and your welcoming party may just be a passing sea lion," the lead sentence states in the article.

Three Yachting readers nominated Petersburg and more than 44 percent of its voting readers chose the town on the magazine's Facebook page.

"When you do these competitions you expect those big quintessential yachting towns to be fan favorites," Harding said. "Little Petersburg, Alaska was a surprise but a welcomed one."

Jamestown, R.I. came in second and Seattle, Wash. came in third. Petersburg also contended with New Orleans, San Francisco and Portland.

Sally Dwyer with the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce said she's not sure who nominated Petersburg but she thanks them.

"It's exciting and we're hoping it brings in a lot of traffic and visitors to our area," Dwyer said.

She also said the chamber reached out to Ketchikan and other Southeast communities to support Petersburg in the competition.

"What's good for the goose is good for the gander around here," Dwyer said.

Yachting Magazine has a circulation of 350,000 in the United States and an international readership.