Mitkof Island, Ideal Cove and Petersburg
Rubbery winged loons paddled and furiously flapped their way into flight, leaving a runway of concentric circle ripples in their panicked wake. Common murres were no braver; bobbing on the surface, they took to the depths for safety, giving a quick flutter of the wing, they dove below, flying under water as opposed to above with the loons.
Rugged snowcapped peaks and sparkling distant glaciers provided the backdrop for an amazing morning at Ideal Cove on Mitkof Island. Balmy weather warmed the scents of the forest, giving an earthy rich aroma to an already visually overwhelming landscape. Carpets of moss and blankets of lichens cloaked the forest in soft comfort. The heart-felt thrum of a grouse echoed through the forest, ever hopeful of finding a mate. A red-breasted sapsucker had apparent success in the mate-finding quest, as we watched an adult bird pop in and out of a hole in a standing snag. Peeps and screechy calls followed the parent bird’s exit, a plea and demand for more, more, more bugs.
Leaving Ideal Cove for the town of Petersburg we crossed a crisp clean line of demarcation where the muddy waters of the Stikine River met the salty tide waters of Frederick Sound. It was like sailing out of chocolate pudding and into a pool of crème de menthe.
Petersburg bustled with activity; a sunny day cannot be wasted with frivolous activities. If the sun is shining you should have a paint brush in each hand. The harbor hummed with grinders scraping old paint, welder’s crackling and spraying sparks, cranes humming as they lifted nets and gear into and out of a continuous flow of fishing boats. The backdrop for the harbor activity was Devil’s Thumb, a distinctive peak to the east, standing clear and naked against an amazingly cloudless sky.
We feasted on the fruits of the labors of the fishermen of Petersburg. It was labeled a “crab-a-ganza.” Plate after plate of steaming Dungeness crab came from our galley until appetites were fully sated and waistbands reached maximum capacity. A walk around the deck gave our dinners a chance to settle, our senses the chance to relax and a humpback whale a chance to find our good ship and whet our appetite for more of the wonders of Southeast Alaska.
