Misty Fjords National Monument, Rudyerd Bay, Alaska
Farewell Canada, hello Alaska and Misty Fjords National Monument. No misnomer here, we awoke this morning to an impressively still, quiet, mist enshrouded scene in Rudyerd Bay, one of Behm Cana’ls many glacially carved tributaries. While no more than 200 meters wide, the depth at our morning anchorage was 35 fathoms (190 feet), a hint at the profound reshaping this landscape has endured over the past 18,000 years. Flanked by steep, 2,500 ft. walls of cedar and alder cloaked granite, we spent the morning venturing into the bay’s extreme eastern reaches via kayak and Zodiac. With the fluid dance of mist and fjord overhead, a chorus of waterfalls all around, and curious seals below, Rudyerd Bay proved to be an incredibly satisfying appetizer to what is the feast of Alaska.
Around midday, with our 190 feet of anchor chain recoiled, we set off again to rejoin Behm Canal, the northern route to Petersburg. A mile shy of our northbound exit, we came face to face with the 3,110 ft. facade of Punchbowl Cove. Tack on the 960 feet of water below, and you have 4,000 vertical feet of rock-carving ice flowing through here at one point in history. Eat your heart out John Deere.
Nothing ties together a beautiful day in the Fjordlands better than a selection of fine wines, cheeses and spirits. Well, that, and perhaps the presence of Dall’s porpoises’ and the regionally rare yellow-billed loons we spotted off our starboard side just before dinner. Normally found in northern Alaska, this diminishing population of loons were so far south of their usual range they managed to attract a squawking brood of bird-happy naturalists to the bow for a closer look. Intrigued by all the commotion, we followed them up front and were rewarded with a good look at these handsome, misplaced birds.
As the sun slipped lower and lower to the west, we ended our first day in Alaska with a common sight in these parts, the silhouette of mountains stacked above the sea. May the beautiful sunsets and rare sightings continue. It has been a great start!
Farewell Canada, hello Alaska and Misty Fjords National Monument. No misnomer here, we awoke this morning to an impressively still, quiet, mist enshrouded scene in Rudyerd Bay, one of Behm Cana’ls many glacially carved tributaries. While no more than 200 meters wide, the depth at our morning anchorage was 35 fathoms (190 feet), a hint at the profound reshaping this landscape has endured over the past 18,000 years. Flanked by steep, 2,500 ft. walls of cedar and alder cloaked granite, we spent the morning venturing into the bay’s extreme eastern reaches via kayak and Zodiac. With the fluid dance of mist and fjord overhead, a chorus of waterfalls all around, and curious seals below, Rudyerd Bay proved to be an incredibly satisfying appetizer to what is the feast of Alaska.
Around midday, with our 190 feet of anchor chain recoiled, we set off again to rejoin Behm Canal, the northern route to Petersburg. A mile shy of our northbound exit, we came face to face with the 3,110 ft. facade of Punchbowl Cove. Tack on the 960 feet of water below, and you have 4,000 vertical feet of rock-carving ice flowing through here at one point in history. Eat your heart out John Deere.
Nothing ties together a beautiful day in the Fjordlands better than a selection of fine wines, cheeses and spirits. Well, that, and perhaps the presence of Dall’s porpoises’ and the regionally rare yellow-billed loons we spotted off our starboard side just before dinner. Normally found in northern Alaska, this diminishing population of loons were so far south of their usual range they managed to attract a squawking brood of bird-happy naturalists to the bow for a closer look. Intrigued by all the commotion, we followed them up front and were rewarded with a good look at these handsome, misplaced birds.
As the sun slipped lower and lower to the west, we ended our first day in Alaska with a common sight in these parts, the silhouette of mountains stacked above the sea. May the beautiful sunsets and rare sightings continue. It has been a great start!
