Cascade Creek, Thomas Bay & Petersburg
Reflections in Scenery Cove shone a landscape shrouded in clouds, not so heavy as to drop their moisture, but laden enough to tease and threaten the possibility of a sprinkle or two. While the shining orb in the sky of yesterday was not yet visible today, we had orbs of a different sort on our walk at Cascade Creek in Thomas Bay. Signs from the past presence of a moose, a pile of herbaceous orbs, were heaped upon the trail, along with the footprints of deer, bear and river otter in some of the muddier trail sections, and several tuffs of fur from a Sitka black tail deer.
While the sky held its moisture, the mist from Cascade Falls thoroughly blanketed our walkers as they ascended the stairway parallel to the falls. Beads of “misture” rolled off raincoats, gathering as tiny clear orbs and then falling to the ground. The roar of the waterfall was a presence in the background for most of our walk, until we probed slightly deeper into the forest. This is where we could hear the song of the winter wren. Think of a bird, eager to cram as many notes as possible into a few seconds, and then feed this bird caffeine. This is the lovely, but hurried, song of the winter wren. Seeming much more patient by comparison, the three notes of the varied thrush sounded more like a referee blowing their whistle, calling foul in the forest, although we could find no game.
For the afternoon in Petersburg, many chose to first investigate the dock and the plethora of fishing vessels that put this tiny community in the forefront nationwide for its seafood harvest. Purse seiners, gill-netters, trollers, crabbers and tenders were well represented in the harbor. Many were being prepped and readied to go out for an opening coming up the middle of this month. Commercial fishing is heavily regulated in Southeast Alaska, and that pays off in the long run as this is a healthy, sustainable fishery.
The opportunity to explore Petersburg independently by bicycle was chosen by many guests. The waterfront ride bordered between a lush forest edge and a stunning view of the Wrangell Narrows. Riders were treated to sights such as deer browsing along the roadside, the wildflowers of summer blooming in riotous color, and the opportunity to simply stop and enjoy some solitude along with a spectacular view.
Finishing the evening we enjoyed a combination of king crab, warm fruit crisp and a nighttime story “The Bear Mother,” told by Smithsonian Representative, Jim Garry. We listened attentively while Jim completed our already full day leaving us satiated and satisfied as images of bears danced from our imaginations into our dreams.
Reflections in Scenery Cove shone a landscape shrouded in clouds, not so heavy as to drop their moisture, but laden enough to tease and threaten the possibility of a sprinkle or two. While the shining orb in the sky of yesterday was not yet visible today, we had orbs of a different sort on our walk at Cascade Creek in Thomas Bay. Signs from the past presence of a moose, a pile of herbaceous orbs, were heaped upon the trail, along with the footprints of deer, bear and river otter in some of the muddier trail sections, and several tuffs of fur from a Sitka black tail deer.
While the sky held its moisture, the mist from Cascade Falls thoroughly blanketed our walkers as they ascended the stairway parallel to the falls. Beads of “misture” rolled off raincoats, gathering as tiny clear orbs and then falling to the ground. The roar of the waterfall was a presence in the background for most of our walk, until we probed slightly deeper into the forest. This is where we could hear the song of the winter wren. Think of a bird, eager to cram as many notes as possible into a few seconds, and then feed this bird caffeine. This is the lovely, but hurried, song of the winter wren. Seeming much more patient by comparison, the three notes of the varied thrush sounded more like a referee blowing their whistle, calling foul in the forest, although we could find no game.
For the afternoon in Petersburg, many chose to first investigate the dock and the plethora of fishing vessels that put this tiny community in the forefront nationwide for its seafood harvest. Purse seiners, gill-netters, trollers, crabbers and tenders were well represented in the harbor. Many were being prepped and readied to go out for an opening coming up the middle of this month. Commercial fishing is heavily regulated in Southeast Alaska, and that pays off in the long run as this is a healthy, sustainable fishery.
The opportunity to explore Petersburg independently by bicycle was chosen by many guests. The waterfront ride bordered between a lush forest edge and a stunning view of the Wrangell Narrows. Riders were treated to sights such as deer browsing along the roadside, the wildflowers of summer blooming in riotous color, and the opportunity to simply stop and enjoy some solitude along with a spectacular view.
Finishing the evening we enjoyed a combination of king crab, warm fruit crisp and a nighttime story “The Bear Mother,” told by Smithsonian Representative, Jim Garry. We listened attentively while Jim completed our already full day leaving us satiated and satisfied as images of bears danced from our imaginations into our dreams.
