Cruising Behm Canal with Zodiac tours in Misty Fjords
Early morning found the M/V Sea Lion turning northbound into Behm Canal. Our Captain was taking shelter from strong winds off of the Pacific Ocean, and cruising along a course that took the Sea Lion through the upper region of Behm Canal. Around 9:00AM we turned to the west into Behm Narrows. With winds still blowing at twenty knots, we followed the course of Behm Canal and headed south making our way towards Misty fjords, our afternoon destination.
In 1763 English Captain, George Vancouver explored Behm Canal, and many of the fjords and channels of this southern part of Alaska. He was checking each inlet to make sure it was not the legendary “Northwest Passage” back to the Atlantic Ocean. The Sea Lion passed Pt. Fitzgibbon named by Captain Vancouver during his early journey charting the waters along the west coast of North America.
Today, Misty Fjords National Monument includes Rudyerd Bay and Walker Cove an area approximately 3,570 square miles in size. Mountain peaks rise above 3,000 feet along steep walled, narrow canyons decorated with waterfalls. The average rainfall is 162 inches. As the Sea Lion approached her anchorage, we gazed skyward, noting the heavy, rain soaked clouds, occasionally opening, allowing a little sun to filter through! The soggy vegetation sparkled as if covered with diamonds.
Once the anchor was secure Zodiacs were dropped in preparation for tours inside Rudyerd Bay. As soon as the first compliment of Zodiacs were filled, we began our journey of exploration into the deeper regions of this unique fjord. Forests rising as if out of stone were shrouded in mists, adding to an image of a gray on gray day with shades of dark green. Each Zodiac poked along close to shore getting as close as possible to the many waterfalls pouring down the steep walls that surrounded this small body of water.
As the Zodiac’s engines were silenced, we listened to Winter wrens singing to each other, with a back-up from several Varied thrushes and an occasional Swainson’s thrush. The dense vegetation was diverse, indicating an old growth forest, intermixed with smaller deciduous shrubs and trees wearing several shades of late Spring’s bright green, a wonderful contrast to the darker greens of Sitka spruce, Western hemlock and Cedars. A River otter scurried from a shallow bank, while a Bald eagle flew overhead, and several Harbor seals were overcome with curiosity, wondering what those black inflatable crafts were doing in their extremely private bay. We watched many species of birds diving, landing and exploring their water world. Some took to the air, flew into the forest, some landing in the tops of trees, while others worked their way along the shoreline.
Slowly the light rainsqualls passed over us followed by sun breaks, giving each of us time to pause over this visual and auditory feast. We were reminded of a quote by John Burroughs: “two things constantly baffle and mislead the eye in Alaska, size and distance.”Cameras and videos moved over the scene capturing a variety of images of this remarkably beautiful place. We returned to the Sea Lion refreshed by the treasures of a temperate rainforest nestled within a deep fjord, it’s richness expressed so subtly and individually to each of us.
