Ideal Cove & Petersburg
A beautiful morning greeted us to a new day in Southeast Alaska. The water reflected the snowcapped mountains on its glassy surface. The National Geographic Sea Bird dropped anchor in Ideal Cove, located just off Mitkof Island. We spent part of the morning hiking through one of the most beautiful trails that winds through the forest. We hiked past streams and a beautiful lake and up to an Alaskan muskeg.
We spent the afternoon in a quaint fishing town of Southeast Alaska called Petersburg. The harbor is a very interesting place, and Steve guided us through a very illustrative walk on the docks, explaining in detail the different fishing techniques and gear of the fishing boats. Some of us took a walk through town and enjoyed walking through a true Alaskan fishing community that is not a tourist destination.
One of the highlights of the day was a walk on Kupreanof Island. Here, we explored an Alaskan muskeg for the second time. This muskeg is rich in tiny, highly-adapted plants that can tolerate this nutrient-poor and acidic environment. One of the most interesting examples is the round-leaf sundew, an insectivorous plant. Although minute, this beautiful creature has managed to supplement its nutrient intake by attracting and digesting flying insects.
Two guest lecturers joined us as well. The first was one of the world’s foremost experts in the cooperative feeding behaviors of humpback whales, Dr. Fred Sharpe, who shared his knowledge on humpbacks and years of experience (as well as his humor!) with us. The other was one of the Board of Directors of the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Eric Lee, who joined us to share some of the conservation challenges that this area faces, and solutions to keep Southeast Alaska healthy and pristine for future generations.
