2 Verbs to Use for the Word backwater

But it was not possible to go bargaining for narwhal ivory, as the flood made their destination inaccessible, so they turned back instead, and started to row up a little backwater called the off-creek, which in summer was too tiny to admit of the passage of even a small boat, but was swollen now to the size of a river.

What would all the boats do that traverse the backwater, or lie at anchor in the bay, or line the sandy beach?

2 Verbs to Use for the Word  backwater