Lake Eva & Chatham Strait
The seas in Chatham Strait were incredibly placid this morning as we made our way toward Peril Strait. A light cloud cover allowed a small amount of sunlight to break through, creating beautiful lights and shadows. We came upon several sets of sleeping whales resting at the surface and breathing intermittently. A set of four whales allowed us to watch them from a distance before they slowly approached our bow. Every guest on the forward portion of the ship was treated to an up-close and personal view of dorsal fins and dual blow holes.
We changed course and made our way into the calm waters of Peril Strait. Our destination was Hanus Bay and the trailhead to Lake Eva. Our fabulous deck staff deployed the Zodiacs and kayaks and we all headed in to shore. A lower tide afforded us great views of intertidal zone critters as we waded ashore. The long, moderate, and leisurely hikers made their way into the lush, green forest to enjoy the morning. This hike was quite different from others we have done this week because it moved between the shelter of the forest to the margins of an inner, tidal bay. Lake Eva flows out into a small waterfall and river, which becomes the natural barrier between migrating salmon and their coveted spawning grounds every summer. We watched as several fish catapulted themselves into the air in hopes of clearing the falls.
Kayakers paddled around the shores of Hanus Bay, enjoying the exposed tidal ecosystem. Great blue herons, bald eagles, and even a brown bear made appearances as the kayaks glided silently along the temporarily-exposed rocks and shoreline.
We departed the bay to make our way into Chatham Strait, hoping to encounter some large marine mammals cavorting in the water. Our hopes were realized almost immediately upon entering the strait when we found sleeping and lazing whales on all sides of the ship. A few whales in the distance broke the calm by breaching simultaneously, side by side. The remainder enjoyed the calm, tranquil day by napping at the surface. William and Elise gave wonderful presentations about Bats and Alaskan History, respectively, and we pulled up to dramatic Kasnyku Falls.
All in all, it was a beautiful day with blue sky, sunshine, and mirror-like water. Wildlife abounded and we enjoyed seeing the best of what Eastern Baranof Island could provide us.
