Ideal Cove & Petersburg
Like a dream come true and while navigating to Ideal Cove, we started our day with a Humpback whale so close to our ship that even their blowholes were clearly seen. The sound of its tall spout filled the air, while we saw a couple more at the distance. The very distinctive pattern of their flukes is helpful for individual identification; a lot has been found about their migration routes and behavior.
After breakfast some of us took a long walk into Tongass temperate forest; this forest is part of the largest temperate forest on Earth. Several species of flowering plants were seen such as Chocolate lily, Marsh marigold, Shooting stars, and some of the most unusual ones like the carnivorous flower group known as Sundew and Butterwort. The wooden boards allowed us to walk easily through a forest that can be compared to a Sitka spruce fortress. Through the thickness of the woods, a porcupine was spotted climbing a tree.
After a nice calm navigation, our captain and crew skillfully maneuvered among the docks to tie up at the picturesque fishing village of Petersburg. As usual we had several options: a walk to the muskeg, a stroll or a bike ride into town. As we were departing, we noticed a bald eagle standing on a pole and a Stellar sea lion catching fish. The light couldn’t be any more beautiful on the ships and the colorful buildings in this fishing community.
What a day so filled with surprises!
Like a dream come true and while navigating to Ideal Cove, we started our day with a Humpback whale so close to our ship that even their blowholes were clearly seen. The sound of its tall spout filled the air, while we saw a couple more at the distance. The very distinctive pattern of their flukes is helpful for individual identification; a lot has been found about their migration routes and behavior.
After breakfast some of us took a long walk into Tongass temperate forest; this forest is part of the largest temperate forest on Earth. Several species of flowering plants were seen such as Chocolate lily, Marsh marigold, Shooting stars, and some of the most unusual ones like the carnivorous flower group known as Sundew and Butterwort. The wooden boards allowed us to walk easily through a forest that can be compared to a Sitka spruce fortress. Through the thickness of the woods, a porcupine was spotted climbing a tree.
After a nice calm navigation, our captain and crew skillfully maneuvered among the docks to tie up at the picturesque fishing village of Petersburg. As usual we had several options: a walk to the muskeg, a stroll or a bike ride into town. As we were departing, we noticed a bald eagle standing on a pole and a Stellar sea lion catching fish. The light couldn’t be any more beautiful on the ships and the colorful buildings in this fishing community.
What a day so filled with surprises!
