Chichagof Island & Icy Strait
During the night the MV Sea Lion cruised into Idaho Inlet on the northern end of Chichagof Island. Eagles and ravens called along the inlet while harbor seals periodically spy-hopped to get a better look at the ship. Towards the mouth of the inlet, sea otters materialized out of the glassy waters (see photo below). As folks filtered out onto the bow, two Sitka black-tailed deer were spotted grazing along the shores of the island. Out of the woods to the north two more deer walked out into the meadow. The beaches and meadows of Chichagof Island act as safe foraging areas for the local deer. The wide expanse of such areas allows the deer to feed and scan for predators simultaneously. Sitka black-tailed deer need to be cautious as they feed given the large population of wolves and bears in the area.
“Soft gold” was the nickname for the sea otters when the Russians first discovered the wealth of fur-bearing animals along the Alaska coast. Idaho Inlet provides perfect habitat for these invertebrate loving sea creatures. Large kelp beds line the shores acting as great bedding or anchorage for the sea otters in the area.
After breakfast we went ashore for kayaking and hikes. Onshore we discovered ancient bear trails. Used for decades by local brown bears, these trails were also marked by scratching trees and fresh bear scat. Further into the woods beyond the bear trails were open bogs of skunk cabbage, a great meal for local bears and deer (see photo below).
With the waters so calm, kayaking was also great fun. Very little wind and glassy seas made for a great circumnavigation of Shaw Island. Through the aqua marine waters we could see large anemones and sea stars lining the rocky shores. Harbor porpoise, harbor seals and Steller sea lions also graced us with their presence.
When we all returned from our morning activities, the hotel staff of the MV Sea Lion had prepared an amazing lunch on the bridge deck. Blessed with sunshine and a light breeze, we happily dined on scrumptious food. After lunch another round of kayakers ventured out along the shore. Hugging the beach we were able to slither through kelp beds and gaze at the steep-sided rocky shore of Chichagof Island.
In the late afternoon we weighed anchor to begin our search for whales. Much to our delight two humpbacks surfaced off the stern and a single humpback surfaced just to the north of Shaw Island. Recently back from their winter in Hawaii, these humpbacks were most likely foraging for small schooling fish that are typically abundant in the waters of Icy Strait. Because of the numerous islands and narrow inlets, the tidal current can reach speeds of up to eight knots in some areas of Icy Strait. Strong currents can concentrate fish feeding on the abundant plankton…and concentrations of small fish will attract hungry whales!
