Iyoukeen Cove & Basket Bay
Almost everyone scrambled to the bow, coffee cups in hand, following a 7:00 a.m. announcement that a humpback whale was nearby. The puffy spout lingered in the still air as the animal’s back rose almost in slow motion at Freshwater Bay, an indention on Chichigof Island. Morning sunlight and the reflections of clouds glinted and played across the glassy, flat-calm surface. The undersides of humpback whale tails vary in color from nearly black to almost white, and each has a unique pattern of scratches and other markings that allow researchers to identify individuals. This whale’s tail was distinctive, almost pure white with dark lines on one side. By comparing it with a photo-identification catalog, the naturalists determined that it was #1038. We watched, mesmerized, until our breakfast was ready, and then the ship turned towards Iyoukeen Cove where we planned to spend the remainder of our morning.
Aging pilings stood like leaning tombstones at our landing site where a gypsum mine once operated. There are few signs of the former human activity here. Remnants of the old pier provided wonderful subjects for photo groups that explored the expansive shoreline exposed by low tide. Hikers wandered up a crystal-clear stream that meandered through the forest. Dangling lichens and clumps of moss clung to red alders, Sitka spruce and western hemlock trees that lined the creek. Every now and then the complex trills of winter wrens serenaded us from the undergrowth. The only trails were those left by brown bears that frequent these shorelines. We discovered tracks of both Sitka black-tailed deer and river otters.
Those who did not go ashore cruised by Zodiac and were rewarded by views of a humpback as well as three river otters, perhaps those that had left signs seen by hikers. These playful creatures are typically found in freshwater environments throughout North America, but the sheltered marine habitats of Southeast Alaska also provide suitable habitat. The time flew by and all too soon it was time to return to the National Geographic Sea Bird to relocate for the afternoon.
Within Basket Bay lies a magical spot well-hidden from view. A secluded limestone grotto invited kayakers and Zodiac cruisers into a world of mosses, hanging ferns and swirling currents. Our boats carefully maneuvered beneath a shaded arch of limestone, formed hundreds of millions of years ago in a tropical sea far away. Over time and through plate movements, ancient seafloors were transported east to finally collide with the west coast of North America and become part of what is now the Alaskan coast. The rock forming this arch is an example of this. By late afternoon, all of us had returned to the ship, ready for a relaxing evening after a busy day at Chichigof Island.
