Ideal Cove & Petersburg
A white cotton shawl of clouds draped the shoulders of the ice-capped coastal mountains surrounding Frederick Sound as we sipped our morning coffee on the bow. It rained last night, our first real evidence of the moisture that has allowed the remarkable biomass of this temperate rainforest we’ve been traveling through to develop. An offshoot of the Japan Current called the Alaska Current tempers the Pacific Ocean along the northwest coast of North America, creating a relatively warm, very wet maritime climate… the conditions that favor large conifers.
This morning’s hike at Ideal Cove was stunning. Moving through old-growth forest along a rippling stream, we were awed by the towering Sitka spruce and western hemlocks with their moss and lichen covered branches high in the forest canopy. The tiny forest floor flowers like the dwarf dogwood were charming, and the clear trilling notes of the winter wren’s song stopped us in our tracks. In the understory, filtered light through spring green leaves caused the leftover rain droplets to shine. Up the trail in the muskegs, early wildflowers like the shooting star are at their peak, while the delicate orchids are just beginning to bloom. Everyone was grateful to the U.S. Forest Service for the wonderful boardwalk that allowed us to walk so easily through this wild place.
In the quaint village of Petersburg the commercial fishing harbor was busy this afternoon. The seiners are fresh out of the boatyard with newly painted bottoms, while the crews are working on nets and gear as they prepare for the upcoming salmon season. The open spaces at the dock are likely from the crab fleet as the season for Dungeness crab fishing started just a few days ago. Whether strolling the docks, biking, bog walking, shopping, or perhaps chatting with the friendly locals, a look around Petersburg is a perfect way to get a glimpse of daily life in a small Alaskan town.
