Sitkoh Bay & Lake Eva
An early wake up call suggested we venture out on deck for the first bear sighting of the day. The National Geographic Sea Bird slowly sailed through Sitkoh Bay, an inlet of Chichagof Island where we often find coastal brown bears. As we scanned the shoreline we spotted three Sitka black-tailed deer and three more bears.
The first activity of the day was a walk on an old logging road, which offered us a great opportunity to explore the temperate rain forest. At the same time, our youngest guests went out with the Boatswain and Third Mate to take a Zodiac driving class.
We then made our way to Hanus Bay, stopping to admire three humpback whales that were showing interesting surface activity. Although it was a brief encounter, everyone had the chance to see the flukes of the magnificent giants breaking the glassy water’s surface.
Lake Eva is where we spent our afternoon. This place is great for long hikes and it offers a great kayaking experience as well. Some of us hiked all the way to a beautiful lake through an old forest trail that runs alongside a salmon stream. With our rubber boots we plied the muddy trail, which today felt more like a tropical rain forest due to the unusually high temperature. To our surprise, the mercury reached an astounding 91 degrees Fahrenheit!
As the kayakers explored the shoreline, a big coastal brown bear came out to feed on the tidal sedges. Many of us spent an extended period of time silently observing this beast gently feeding in the mudflats.
One never knows what a day in Southeast Alaska may bring, but it is sure to be full of adventure.
