Chatham Strait, Kelp Bay
Our wake-up call came early this morning as the Sea Bird maneuvered through the narrow entrance to Gut Bay. Two bald eagles perched in a spruce tree, like sentinels watching the mouth of this steep-walled fjord near the southeastern end of Baranof Island. We spent our morning cruising northward in Chatham Strait, ducking in to Hoggatt Bay for a quick scan of the shoreline. Later in the morning, we made such a close approach to Kasnyku Falls that we felt its mist on our faces and our ears were filled with its cascading thunder. At Cosmos Cove we were able to watch part of the Southeast Alaska salmon fishing fleet, staking out their positions in preparation for an opening tomorrow.
Shortly after lunch we were anchored in Kelp Bay, near Pond Island and prepared for an afternoon ashore. There was the “mud hike” with Chris and Tom, through a marsh and to a beaver pond; or the “forest hike” with Michelle, Larisa and Carol. Either choice offered more exploration of this magnificent temperate rainforest. The mossy-soft forest floor tempted us to lay down and nap, but the giant red cedar trees, pink-speckled coral root orchids and slithers of banana slugs kept drawing us deeper into the woods. We also launched our fleet of kayaks and paddled along the rocky, barnacle-encrusted shoreline, watching curious harbor seals spy on us and two humpback whales in the distance. Late in the afternoon, the younger members of our company enrolled in “Zodiac class.” Three boats sped out in different directions, and then stopped, started and made crazy turns as each young driver learned how to handle the throttle and tiller. Timid at first, everyone clamored for a second, and even third, turn at the helm.
Wind and waves didn’t dampen our enthusiasm for the two humpback whales that we watched before dinner. Surfacing several times and then diving with their flukes lifted high, these enormous animals awed us all, bringing another fine Southeast Alaska day to a close.
Our wake-up call came early this morning as the Sea Bird maneuvered through the narrow entrance to Gut Bay. Two bald eagles perched in a spruce tree, like sentinels watching the mouth of this steep-walled fjord near the southeastern end of Baranof Island. We spent our morning cruising northward in Chatham Strait, ducking in to Hoggatt Bay for a quick scan of the shoreline. Later in the morning, we made such a close approach to Kasnyku Falls that we felt its mist on our faces and our ears were filled with its cascading thunder. At Cosmos Cove we were able to watch part of the Southeast Alaska salmon fishing fleet, staking out their positions in preparation for an opening tomorrow.
Shortly after lunch we were anchored in Kelp Bay, near Pond Island and prepared for an afternoon ashore. There was the “mud hike” with Chris and Tom, through a marsh and to a beaver pond; or the “forest hike” with Michelle, Larisa and Carol. Either choice offered more exploration of this magnificent temperate rainforest. The mossy-soft forest floor tempted us to lay down and nap, but the giant red cedar trees, pink-speckled coral root orchids and slithers of banana slugs kept drawing us deeper into the woods. We also launched our fleet of kayaks and paddled along the rocky, barnacle-encrusted shoreline, watching curious harbor seals spy on us and two humpback whales in the distance. Late in the afternoon, the younger members of our company enrolled in “Zodiac class.” Three boats sped out in different directions, and then stopped, started and made crazy turns as each young driver learned how to handle the throttle and tiller. Timid at first, everyone clamored for a second, and even third, turn at the helm.
Wind and waves didn’t dampen our enthusiasm for the two humpback whales that we watched before dinner. Surfacing several times and then diving with their flukes lifted high, these enormous animals awed us all, bringing another fine Southeast Alaska day to a close.
