Sitkoh Bay and Pavlof Harbor

Our first morning on the National Geographic Sea Lion could not have started out better. We were in beautiful Peril Strait when we heard the sound of whales exhaling through their blowholes. We soon spotted two humpback whales so close to our ship that we put down our binoculars and got out our cameras. Being so near these large animals felt very special, and then to our delight one of the whales breeched! As we headed down for breakfast we saw a colorful rainbow painted against the snow capped mountains.

We cruised down the scenic fjord known as Peril Strait to Chatham Strait arriving at Sitkoh Bay located on the southeast corner of Chichagof Island. In 1804 Chief Katlian and the Tlingit people retreated across Baranoff Island and settled here after a fierce battle with the Russians. From 1906 to 1963 Sitkoh Bay was home to a cannery and almost 500 people lived there.

After breakfast we scanned the shoreline for wildlife and found a sow and her two cubs. They were “brown” bears and had the obvious hump that makes up the massive shoulder muscles. We learned that brown bears vary in color from blond to black. A fourth bear was observed eating sedges.

Back in the lounge, Captain Dan led us through our safety drills and we had briefings on kayaking and hiking in bear country. Then our photo expert, Eric, gave a presentation on how to use our digital cameras to take high quality photographs.

Pavlof Harbor is situated on the south shore of Freshwater Bay and was named after Gavan Pavlof, a Russian fur trader. We started our afternoon activities under a sunny sky. Hiking, kayaking, and Zodiac cruising were all options. Hikers walked along the river to a small waterfall. A fish ladder had been built on the right hand side to aid salmon in swimming upstream to their spawning grounds. After scrambling over rocks we came upon the lake and an abandoned beaver lodge. Following the bear trail we entered the temperate rain forest made up of Sitka spruce and western hemlocks. These majestic trees are abundant here in the Tongas National forest.

Zodiac cruisers saw a humpback whale and two humpbacks breaching repeatedly in the distance. Kayakers enjoyed paddling and the magnificent views, including the Bald eagles soaring overhead.

Back on board we were treated to a wine tasting and a delicious dinner. What a welcome to Southeast Alaska!