Fox Creek and Point Adolphus
What is it that makes Southeast Alaska such a special place? Is it the incredible scenery and wildness? Perhaps it’s the chance to walk through lush forests where brown bears have recently trodden, or to encounter humpback whales rising and exhaling in a rhythm so different from our own. Some might argue that seeing sea otter females cuddling their fluffy youngsters is an unforgettable part of Southeast Alaska. Kayakers might suggest that circumnavigating a remote island past bald eagles and beds of kelp could represent an opportunity found in few other places. Today all of these experiences intertwined in a wonderful mosaic of adventure in this unique region of the world.
At Fox Creek we headed off by kayak and on foot to explore. Humpback whales spouted in the distance, and one breached repeatedly and flipper-flopped its huge pectoral fins. Some of the kayakers spotted harbor seals and a swimming deer. Hikers wandered through meadows of brilliantly colored blossoms before entering the forest. It’s amazing how a heightened awareness develops when signs of bears are everywhere. Huge toe prints and claw marks remained in the soft mud near soil ripped up by bears searching for roots. It occurred to us that the trail we traveled along was not maintained by humans. There were evenly spaced depressions created by the padding feet of numerous bears that had walked this same path repeatedly over time. Bear hair on a scratched tree and piles of bear scat provided additional evidence of these massive carnivores.
It has been said that sea otters are terminally cute. Their fuzzy faces capture our imagination and cannot help but make us smile. Throughout the day the ship passed rafts of these animals floating on their backs with oversized hind feet sticking up in the air. A mother and pup climbed out onto the rocky shore, an uncommon behavior for such truly aquatic marine mammals. We were reminded that their beautiful dense fur was extremely important in shaping the history of what is now Southeast Alaska.
After cruising the scenic inlet known as Dundas Bay, we went in search of more humpback whales and were not disappointed. At Point Adolphus we watched the two adults and playful calf shown in the photo as they surfaced over and over, rising and falling, then arching for longer dives with flukes lifted against the distant wall of densely forested slopes laced with wispy clouds.
What is it that makes Southeast Alaska such a special place? Is it the incredible scenery and wildness? Perhaps it’s the chance to walk through lush forests where brown bears have recently trodden, or to encounter humpback whales rising and exhaling in a rhythm so different from our own. Some might argue that seeing sea otter females cuddling their fluffy youngsters is an unforgettable part of Southeast Alaska. Kayakers might suggest that circumnavigating a remote island past bald eagles and beds of kelp could represent an opportunity found in few other places. Today all of these experiences intertwined in a wonderful mosaic of adventure in this unique region of the world.
At Fox Creek we headed off by kayak and on foot to explore. Humpback whales spouted in the distance, and one breached repeatedly and flipper-flopped its huge pectoral fins. Some of the kayakers spotted harbor seals and a swimming deer. Hikers wandered through meadows of brilliantly colored blossoms before entering the forest. It’s amazing how a heightened awareness develops when signs of bears are everywhere. Huge toe prints and claw marks remained in the soft mud near soil ripped up by bears searching for roots. It occurred to us that the trail we traveled along was not maintained by humans. There were evenly spaced depressions created by the padding feet of numerous bears that had walked this same path repeatedly over time. Bear hair on a scratched tree and piles of bear scat provided additional evidence of these massive carnivores.
It has been said that sea otters are terminally cute. Their fuzzy faces capture our imagination and cannot help but make us smile. Throughout the day the ship passed rafts of these animals floating on their backs with oversized hind feet sticking up in the air. A mother and pup climbed out onto the rocky shore, an uncommon behavior for such truly aquatic marine mammals. We were reminded that their beautiful dense fur was extremely important in shaping the history of what is now Southeast Alaska.
After cruising the scenic inlet known as Dundas Bay, we went in search of more humpback whales and were not disappointed. At Point Adolphus we watched the two adults and playful calf shown in the photo as they surfaced over and over, rising and falling, then arching for longer dives with flukes lifted against the distant wall of densely forested slopes laced with wispy clouds.
