Coast of Chichagof Island and Iyoukeen Cove
This morning we awoke to an early wake up call with a calm voice over the speaker reporting that whales had been spotted off the bow. The north end of Chatham Strait is known for a group of humpbacks that perform a feeding behavior unique to Southeast Alaska.
Humpback Whales are a species of baleen whale that inhabit this great place in the summer and like most animals make an exodus in the winter to warmer climes and different scenes. At forty-five feet in length their pectoral fins measure one third of their body length. The Latin name for humpback, Megaptera novaeangliae (big winged New Englander) denotes not only the size of their fins but also a place where they were almost hunted to extinction. Of the 1000 humpbacks thought to inhabit Southeast we watched a dozen of them known to participate in the unique behavior known as bubble netting.
The social sophistication and manipulation of prey by these individuals is an experience none of us could have ever imagined, nor will we ever forget. As we slowly surfaced on the bow from our berths, we were humbled by one of our first experiences aboard the Sea Bird. The group of humpbacks were actively blowing breath from two blowholes, showing their flukes and occasionally slapping their pectoral fins. Suddenly as each of the whales dove they disappeared from view. We put the hydrophone in the water and within minutes high-pitched trumpet like calls emanated from the deep and we learned through observation something extraordinary was to surface. In the depths of Chatham Strait, one of the whales blew bubbles in a large circle and as these rose a bubble fence frightened the herring into a denser concentration. Humpbacks also take advantage of their long pectoral fins by flashing the white undersides, further frightening their 9” prey into the center of the circle. As the pitch of the trumpeting whale changed, all eyes on deck learned to focus on the water surface searching for bubbles in a ring. And then…12 humpback whales broke the surface, their mouths ajar and ventral pleats extended, herring flying through the air attempting their escape...we experienced for over five hours the unbelievable bubble net warriors! Did you ever in your life imagine that you would be in the Inside Passage of Alaska observing a group of humpbacks lunging to the surface cooperatively feeding?
The day was made complete by coastal brown bears on the beach (two groups of sow and spring cubs) eating grasses in the lean days before the salmon run. Scouting beaches for walks after lunch, guides encountered grunting bears and decided for a walk in the treasure filled woods of Gypsum, an abandoned mining community dating back to the 20’s. Skirting slugs and skunk cabbage we could only imagine what life was like in Gypsum, let alone Alaska in the 20s.
An amazing day and way to start our journey in Southeast Alaska!
This morning we awoke to an early wake up call with a calm voice over the speaker reporting that whales had been spotted off the bow. The north end of Chatham Strait is known for a group of humpbacks that perform a feeding behavior unique to Southeast Alaska.
Humpback Whales are a species of baleen whale that inhabit this great place in the summer and like most animals make an exodus in the winter to warmer climes and different scenes. At forty-five feet in length their pectoral fins measure one third of their body length. The Latin name for humpback, Megaptera novaeangliae (big winged New Englander) denotes not only the size of their fins but also a place where they were almost hunted to extinction. Of the 1000 humpbacks thought to inhabit Southeast we watched a dozen of them known to participate in the unique behavior known as bubble netting.
The social sophistication and manipulation of prey by these individuals is an experience none of us could have ever imagined, nor will we ever forget. As we slowly surfaced on the bow from our berths, we were humbled by one of our first experiences aboard the Sea Bird. The group of humpbacks were actively blowing breath from two blowholes, showing their flukes and occasionally slapping their pectoral fins. Suddenly as each of the whales dove they disappeared from view. We put the hydrophone in the water and within minutes high-pitched trumpet like calls emanated from the deep and we learned through observation something extraordinary was to surface. In the depths of Chatham Strait, one of the whales blew bubbles in a large circle and as these rose a bubble fence frightened the herring into a denser concentration. Humpbacks also take advantage of their long pectoral fins by flashing the white undersides, further frightening their 9” prey into the center of the circle. As the pitch of the trumpeting whale changed, all eyes on deck learned to focus on the water surface searching for bubbles in a ring. And then…12 humpback whales broke the surface, their mouths ajar and ventral pleats extended, herring flying through the air attempting their escape...we experienced for over five hours the unbelievable bubble net warriors! Did you ever in your life imagine that you would be in the Inside Passage of Alaska observing a group of humpbacks lunging to the surface cooperatively feeding?
The day was made complete by coastal brown bears on the beach (two groups of sow and spring cubs) eating grasses in the lean days before the salmon run. Scouting beaches for walks after lunch, guides encountered grunting bears and decided for a walk in the treasure filled woods of Gypsum, an abandoned mining community dating back to the 20’s. Skirting slugs and skunk cabbage we could only imagine what life was like in Gypsum, let alone Alaska in the 20s.
An amazing day and way to start our journey in Southeast Alaska!
