Petersburg & Frederick Sound, Alaska
Our journey is well underway. People are bonding and making new friends and there is a nice ease to everything. Early morning found us entering the Wrangell Narrows with wisps of fog and mist that made the passage all the more mysterious and beckoning. Our little ship maneuvered by navigation markers along the narrows into the heart of the Tongass National Forest and the town of Petersburg, the Little Norway of Alaska.
Our cameras shuttered away as bald eagles perched atop large and colorful fishing vessels that compose the roll-up-your-sleeves-and get-to work economy of the town. As the eagles took flight we traveled by Zodiac across the narrows to Kupreanof Island. Some of us did a three-mile power walk while others hiked a yellow cedar boardwalk trail up to a scenic bog.
Later in the morning a number of us chose to enjoy the macro view from floatplanes as we flew over the nearby glaciers and coastal landscape. Far below, we could see harbor seals on deep blue icebergs and even had our first sighting of a humpback whale – a preview of coming attractions. Also enjoyable was the chance to walk around an authentic small town and shop for books, extra layers, Alaska ball caps, and canned salmon.
Afternoon found us cruising Frederick Sound with postcard views as the sun skimmed over the top of snowy Baranof Island. As if this were not a perfect scenario… a glass of wine in one hand and a plate of smoked salmon in the other, we watched as a humpback whale graced the surface while blowing in beautiful calm waters right next to the National Geographic Sea Lion.
How could this have been a more perfect day? Nada was the consensus. I think Richard Nelson’s quote from The Island Within sums up our experience today: “Every place, like every person, is elevated by the love and respect shown toward it, and by the way in which its beauty is received.”
