Lake Eva & Chatham Strait
Our regular early risers were absent this morning from the bow of the National Geographic Sea Bird with the exception of one or two. And if that wasn’t out of the ordinary, the air temperature was also oddly mild and the bright sun was already warming the decks of our ship as we made our way towards the morning’s designation of Baranof Island.
The twisting trails that led us deeper into the forest of Lake Eva revealed many rotting and decayed trees that had fallen some time ago, their once proud arms stretched up to the skies now falling fast into decay. Layers of thick mosses padded the floor and added a little spring to our step. Patches of crisp snow bore the tracks of hikers before us as we trekked along the gushing stream.
Kayakers discovered the mouth of a small inlet that had been flooded by the incoming tide and were lured in by the need to discover further. As our morning ashore ended, screams and shouts echoed into the forest as a group of bold, adventurous guests and staff shed their clothes and plunged into the icy water of Hanus Bay.
The galley surprised us, upon our return, with a smorgasbord of delightful goodies that was served from the bridge deck.
Underway once again after our scrumptious lunch, some led long and short naps while others found brown bears in the shade on the shores of Hood Bay. By late afternoon, Vicky Showler invited us to the comfy lounge to learn more about the cetaceans of Southeast Alaska.
Back out on deck, we found ourselves once more scanning the flat waters of Chatham Strait for signs of marine life. Soon, we were visited by marbled murrelets, energetic Dall’s porpoises and several small groups of shy harbor porpoises.
We concluded our full day with a visit to the Kasnyku waterfall, which is fed by the snow melt from the mountains above. Looking up from the bow of National Geographic Sea Bird, the mist from this thunderous torrent of falling water settled lightly onto our upturned faces.
Our regular early risers were absent this morning from the bow of the National Geographic Sea Bird with the exception of one or two. And if that wasn’t out of the ordinary, the air temperature was also oddly mild and the bright sun was already warming the decks of our ship as we made our way towards the morning’s designation of Baranof Island.
The twisting trails that led us deeper into the forest of Lake Eva revealed many rotting and decayed trees that had fallen some time ago, their once proud arms stretched up to the skies now falling fast into decay. Layers of thick mosses padded the floor and added a little spring to our step. Patches of crisp snow bore the tracks of hikers before us as we trekked along the gushing stream.
Kayakers discovered the mouth of a small inlet that had been flooded by the incoming tide and were lured in by the need to discover further. As our morning ashore ended, screams and shouts echoed into the forest as a group of bold, adventurous guests and staff shed their clothes and plunged into the icy water of Hanus Bay.
The galley surprised us, upon our return, with a smorgasbord of delightful goodies that was served from the bridge deck.
Underway once again after our scrumptious lunch, some led long and short naps while others found brown bears in the shade on the shores of Hood Bay. By late afternoon, Vicky Showler invited us to the comfy lounge to learn more about the cetaceans of Southeast Alaska.
Back out on deck, we found ourselves once more scanning the flat waters of Chatham Strait for signs of marine life. Soon, we were visited by marbled murrelets, energetic Dall’s porpoises and several small groups of shy harbor porpoises.
We concluded our full day with a visit to the Kasnyku waterfall, which is fed by the snow melt from the mountains above. Looking up from the bow of National Geographic Sea Bird, the mist from this thunderous torrent of falling water settled lightly onto our upturned faces.
