Sitkoh Bay and Pavlof Harbor on Chichagof Island

A Sitka black tailed deer skittered and scampered nervously about the intertidal zone. Moments before a brown bear sow and her cub were briefly seen along the meadow’s edge, they were now engulfed in a sea of grass. Along the shore an eagle sat placidly, stoically, lazily? Other deer browsed more leisurely along the opposite side of the beach, mellowly munching as we watched them through the powerful eye of our shipboard spotting scope. Such was our morning in Sitkoh Bay.

Around the corner north of Sitkoh Bay a brown bear explored the shoreline for tasty morsels, with a leisurely paced stroll it flipped random rocks and stuck its nose into the newly created cavities. In a few quick licks it lapped up the exposed intertidal invertebrates before they could scramble into an alternative hidden haven.

Brilliant sun followed us into the afternoon at Pavlof Harbor. Stunning Alaskan paintbrush, a lovely wildflower, skirted the outer edges of the forest in company with buttercups, silverweed and yarrow. Further up the trail slender stalks of tiny white orchids and fluffy tufts of cotton grass adorned the open meadow. The red alders along the lake edge offered a welcomed respite of cool shade. Under the canopy of alder leaves we admired the grandeur of a placid lake, surrounded by a flower dotted meadow with a dramatic backdrop of steep snowcapped peaks. The swoosh- swoosh sound of the tall meadow grass brushing against our rain pants was accompanied by…nothing else. Silence is said to be golden and we found the motherlode as we stopped periodically and listened to the quiet.

Kayakers paddled into their reflections as they explored the undulating coastline. A small waterfall, the spillage from Pavlof Lake, called to them as a watery siren, come, come and take a closer look. With a dropping tide long, low shelves of shoreline led up to the falls like a stairway of algae and kelp-covered pancakes, leaving the falls inaccessible at this moment in the cycle of flood and ebb.

After a full day of sunshine we were not ready to go inside. Our evening cocktails and appetizers were enjoyed on the outer decks we continued with our sun fest. Such was our first full day of glorious weather and exploration in Southeast Alaska.

The day offered a bit of inspiration for our two youngest travelers, and we share their observations with you here.

Whales Jump by Christopher Houck, age 8
The water is cold
Ships are sailing as birds fly
Eagles are swooping.

The AK by Rebecca Houck, age 13
The bears are roaming
The deer drink icy water
Eagles touch the sky.