Freshwater Bay
We awoke as National Geographic Sea Bird made her way east through Peril Strait. The lush and dense temperate rain forest covered the hills of Chichagof Island to the north and Baranof Island to the south. Snow clad peaks of Admiralty Island lay ahead across Chatham Strait. Turning to the north and then to the northwest, we entered Sitkoh Bay. Scanning the shoreline we came up with our first two wildlife sightings, Sitka black-tailed deer and a brown bear patrolling the upper intertidal zone.
Breakfast and briefings prepared us for our initial explorations, near the mouth of the bay. Kayaking and hiking were our options, and most of us took advantages of both. Paddlers enjoyed the solitude and spotted harbor porpoises and a pair of bald eagles at their nest. By foot, we had an introduction to the Sitka spruce/western hemlock forest, and many of its inhabitants. Bear tracks and scat kept us aware of just who lived there, not to mention banana slugs.
At sea for the afternoon, a watch was kept for wildlife, especially marine mammals. Heading north through Chatham Strait, an exceptionally deep and wide fjord, the magnitude of Tongass National Forest began to set in. At over sixteen million acres, the Tongass is our largest national forest and about the size of West Virginia.
This time of the year, salmon begin to return from their ocean journeys and gather in preparation for their final spawning frenzy. As we moved along, there were numerous breeching salmon spotted. Then, within a short stretch, a humpback whale, a Minke whale and a group of Dall’s porpoises showed up. While none stayed around for long, they were a fine introduction to the diversity and abundance to be found in these biologically rich waters. These encounters were followed by a delightful interlude with a sow and cub brown bear.
Just as evening recap began, a humpback whale appeared, then another, then another… It was a fine way to end a wonderful first day of explorations in southeast Alaska.
We awoke as National Geographic Sea Bird made her way east through Peril Strait. The lush and dense temperate rain forest covered the hills of Chichagof Island to the north and Baranof Island to the south. Snow clad peaks of Admiralty Island lay ahead across Chatham Strait. Turning to the north and then to the northwest, we entered Sitkoh Bay. Scanning the shoreline we came up with our first two wildlife sightings, Sitka black-tailed deer and a brown bear patrolling the upper intertidal zone.
Breakfast and briefings prepared us for our initial explorations, near the mouth of the bay. Kayaking and hiking were our options, and most of us took advantages of both. Paddlers enjoyed the solitude and spotted harbor porpoises and a pair of bald eagles at their nest. By foot, we had an introduction to the Sitka spruce/western hemlock forest, and many of its inhabitants. Bear tracks and scat kept us aware of just who lived there, not to mention banana slugs.
At sea for the afternoon, a watch was kept for wildlife, especially marine mammals. Heading north through Chatham Strait, an exceptionally deep and wide fjord, the magnitude of Tongass National Forest began to set in. At over sixteen million acres, the Tongass is our largest national forest and about the size of West Virginia.
This time of the year, salmon begin to return from their ocean journeys and gather in preparation for their final spawning frenzy. As we moved along, there were numerous breeching salmon spotted. Then, within a short stretch, a humpback whale, a Minke whale and a group of Dall’s porpoises showed up. While none stayed around for long, they were a fine introduction to the diversity and abundance to be found in these biologically rich waters. These encounters were followed by a delightful interlude with a sow and cub brown bear.
Just as evening recap began, a humpback whale appeared, then another, then another… It was a fine way to end a wonderful first day of explorations in southeast Alaska.
