Cascade Creek & Petersburg
Cascade Creek at Scenery Cove is a jewel setting, with the path from the shore taking us into a verdant forest along a tumbling stream. Various length hikes led up a boardwalk past a roaring waterfall, spraying us all as we passed in its mist, heading further into the deep of the temperate rainforest. Part way along, a bridge crosses over a narrow trough in the rock, filled with the raging torrent, another great place to linger and marvel at the power and force of this stream, while some of us continued up the trail to more challenging terrain.
Just before lunch, Dr. Fred Sharpe, a whale researcher in the area, came aboard to enlighten us about the fascinating research he and his team are doing related to the humpbacks. He is especially interested in the social behaviors and feeding ecology of the approximately 1,000 whales that summer here in Southeast Alaska.
Docking at Petersburg in the afternoon gave us the opportunity for a variety of outings such as learning all about the bogs across Wrangell Narrows and onto Kupreanof Island. Those who opted for a fast-paced hike into the lush vegetation were rewarded with some wild salmon and blueberries along the way. Others decided to explore the town for a bit of shopping, and get a real up close and personal view of a working fishing village settled by Norwegians around the turn of the century. Those who went sight-seeing were able to drink in the incredible scenery from the air over glaciers, and stunning ice-fields.
Something for everyone today, topped off by a Dungeness crab feast compliments of our fabulous chef and crew, and a wrap with naturalist John Kernan, giving us interpretations of close up and colorful photos of invertebrates shot just below the surface of our dockage today.
