Lake Eva
As we sit in gathered silence, the temperate breeze caresses our cheeks and the morning sun warms our well-rested bodies. The imposing view of grasses and hedges provides the perfect background for our early morning stretch class. Most of us, never having had the opportunity to practice in such a magnificent setting, feel as though we are participants in a prized yoga video. Calm, peaceful and rejuvenated, we are eager to explore this wondrous wilderness.
Repositioning throughout breakfast, the National Geographic Sea Lion arrives at its morning destination, the mouth of the river that leads to Lake Eva. The Zodiacs bring us ashore, nosing up to “mussel beach,” named precisely for the beautiful and abundant display of indigo blue mussel shells.
In what seems to be no time at all, we enter the magical temperate rain forest. Everywhere we look our eyes are met with brilliant shades of green. The deep forest green of the stately Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock, draped in honeydew green lichen, bears a striking resemblance to its name “old mans beard.” Carpets of lush emerald green moss cover the array of decaying fallen trees throughout the forest’s floor. Whispery ferns and flourishing patches of skunk cabbage add interest and texture to this verdant understory.
We have entered a fairyland with magical qualities that one needs only to imagine, and a hobbit shall appear at any turn. The delicate white flowers of several different varieties lay softly on top of the mosses, resembling artistically placed doilies. Splashes of sunlight dance between the canopy above, while the forest’s symphony delights its listeners. The bubbling stream accompanied by the eagle’s cry, harmonize with the song of the wren.
Upon reaching the lake, we take time to reflect and are graced with four bald eagles soaring overhead.
Gathering back on board for the afternoon meal we find great joy in sharing our various morning experiences. We have the sense that we have met our fellow travelers before, in another time and place, however we know instinctively that it is through this shared experience, enveloped in nature, complete strangers become quickly acquainted and are forever connected.
