Icy Strait
After a fourth day of glorious weather, we've begun to doubt that this is actually a temperate rainforest we're exploring. By our 7am wake-up call the sun was already high and the low peaks surrounding Dundas Bay were reflected perfectly in the water’s mirror surface. We caught sight of several distant black bears, a flock of Canada Geese and two swans. Turning around and heading back out of the bay, we stopped for a large black bear on a near beach, and then encountered several humpback whales at the entrance.
We spent our morning exploring the west end of Icy Strait, the Inian Islands and a small bit of Cross Sound. With a gentle Pacific swell under us, we could look out to the west and see the lighthouse at Cape Spencer with the Gulf of Alaska beyond. Riveted to the bow by the warmth of the sun and continuous natural surprises, we watched bald eagles in an aerial tussle over a meal, sea otters with large, fuzzy pups on their bellies and the misty breath of Steller sea lions playing near shore. Late in the morning Iliana gave a presentation on marine mammals that ended just as the Sea Lion neared a large raft of bachelor sea otters. Watching quietly from the deck, we decided that even the oldest grandfather in the bunch was still indescribably cute.
After cruising all morning, we were ready for a full afternoon in Idaho Inlet. An ambitious group paddled kayaks over four miles along the shoreline to rendezvous with the Sea Lion at the end of the inlet. Another group opted to explore on shore first and then have a more leisurely paddle later. The long days of June coax fields of wildflowers out of the soil, and we witnessed their colorful display in the sun-soaked meadow. Magenta shooting stars, golden buttercups, chocolate lilies and tiny violets were everywhere we looked. Our walks followed a bear trail along a cold, clear stream and through a stand of large Sitka spruce trees. Although the hikers saw plenty of signs that brown bears were in the neighborhood recently, it was the second round of kayakers that actually saw the animals. Paddling silently toward the head of the inlet, a mother bear with her two cubs came into view. Another surprise offered up by this rich wild land.
After a fine meal of fresh Alaskan salmon, we stepped back out on deck to enjoy the late evening sunshine. The summer solstice is just a week away, so sunsets seem to last forever and darkness never really falls. Just when we thought sleep was on the agenda, we rounded the corner from Icy Strait into Chatham Strait, and encountered killer whales. We put on the brakes for what appeared to be a lone male, and discovered another dozen or more animals in the area – including at least one very young calf. With a slim crescent moon and bright Venus shining over the Fairweather Range, and a salmon colored northwestern sky, we watched these sleek cetaceans for nearly an hour, before drifting off to bed and dreams of what tomorrow might have in store for us.
After a fourth day of glorious weather, we've begun to doubt that this is actually a temperate rainforest we're exploring. By our 7am wake-up call the sun was already high and the low peaks surrounding Dundas Bay were reflected perfectly in the water’s mirror surface. We caught sight of several distant black bears, a flock of Canada Geese and two swans. Turning around and heading back out of the bay, we stopped for a large black bear on a near beach, and then encountered several humpback whales at the entrance.
We spent our morning exploring the west end of Icy Strait, the Inian Islands and a small bit of Cross Sound. With a gentle Pacific swell under us, we could look out to the west and see the lighthouse at Cape Spencer with the Gulf of Alaska beyond. Riveted to the bow by the warmth of the sun and continuous natural surprises, we watched bald eagles in an aerial tussle over a meal, sea otters with large, fuzzy pups on their bellies and the misty breath of Steller sea lions playing near shore. Late in the morning Iliana gave a presentation on marine mammals that ended just as the Sea Lion neared a large raft of bachelor sea otters. Watching quietly from the deck, we decided that even the oldest grandfather in the bunch was still indescribably cute.
After cruising all morning, we were ready for a full afternoon in Idaho Inlet. An ambitious group paddled kayaks over four miles along the shoreline to rendezvous with the Sea Lion at the end of the inlet. Another group opted to explore on shore first and then have a more leisurely paddle later. The long days of June coax fields of wildflowers out of the soil, and we witnessed their colorful display in the sun-soaked meadow. Magenta shooting stars, golden buttercups, chocolate lilies and tiny violets were everywhere we looked. Our walks followed a bear trail along a cold, clear stream and through a stand of large Sitka spruce trees. Although the hikers saw plenty of signs that brown bears were in the neighborhood recently, it was the second round of kayakers that actually saw the animals. Paddling silently toward the head of the inlet, a mother bear with her two cubs came into view. Another surprise offered up by this rich wild land.
After a fine meal of fresh Alaskan salmon, we stepped back out on deck to enjoy the late evening sunshine. The summer solstice is just a week away, so sunsets seem to last forever and darkness never really falls. Just when we thought sleep was on the agenda, we rounded the corner from Icy Strait into Chatham Strait, and encountered killer whales. We put on the brakes for what appeared to be a lone male, and discovered another dozen or more animals in the area – including at least one very young calf. With a slim crescent moon and bright Venus shining over the Fairweather Range, and a salmon colored northwestern sky, we watched these sleek cetaceans for nearly an hour, before drifting off to bed and dreams of what tomorrow might have in store for us.
