Pond Island, Southeast Alaska
Another day of marvelous weather in Alaska! The ice-covered peaks of Baranof Island shone pristine against the backdrop of the blue sky. Capt. Lisianski named this important island Baranov in 1805 in honor of the first Russian Governor of the Russian America Co. We approached a lovely waterfall called Kasnyku, the result of ice-melt in high mountain massifs. After a good time of observing it, as well as the various seabirds and eagles, we slowly left the area and headed north, to Kelp Bay, where we anchored off Pond Island. Here we had good hikes in the old-growth forest, and kayaked up a creek that is flooded by the high tide twice a day, among the tall Sitka spruce and western hemlock trees. We also enjoyed some Zodiac rides among the small islands, enjoying great views of the so numerous bald eagles that perched atop the tall trees. Other land birds gave forth their songs for us, as we sat quietly in small coves.
Lunch was a barbecue on deck. At this time we picked up two members of the Alaska Whale Foundation who had lunch with us, and shortly thereafter shared with us with information on the functioning of their research in the area, directed mainly at humpback whales. Great scientific information is obtained on different aspects of whale behavior, feeding habits, and interrelationship of individuals that participate in that unique Alaskan phenomenon of the humpback whales: bubble-net feeding. Here a small number of whales dive around a large school of small fish and swim under them creating a net of bubbles that encloses the mass of fish. These become frightened and ball even tighter together, being instantaneously engulfed by the huge open mouths of the behemoths as they swim towards the surface. The water is quickly forced through the balleen in the mouth of the animal, and the fish are then swallowed.
On we traveled, almost immediately sighting a series of humpback whales, which we followed at a distance to observe their behavior. And it was after these observations that we had our wine and northwestern foods tasting moment. Red and white wines, cheeses, jams, chocolate and smoked seafoods! That was definitely not enough, as by then we had relocated to another part of Baranof Island: Redbluff Bay. Here are to be seen a series of reddish mineral-rich bluffs unfit for colonization by plants due to the high content of exotic metals. Waterfalls marked the sheer cliff walls, covered by green vegetation. Almost at the end of the reserved to small ships because of shallow depths and narrow walls bay, we faced a huge waterfall of ice-cold water. Again we had the opportunity of observing different birds here, among them an American dipper! And at the end of the bay on a flat meadow, we watched a brown or grizzly bear. It was at this time that dinner was served.
Another day of marvelous weather in Alaska! The ice-covered peaks of Baranof Island shone pristine against the backdrop of the blue sky. Capt. Lisianski named this important island Baranov in 1805 in honor of the first Russian Governor of the Russian America Co. We approached a lovely waterfall called Kasnyku, the result of ice-melt in high mountain massifs. After a good time of observing it, as well as the various seabirds and eagles, we slowly left the area and headed north, to Kelp Bay, where we anchored off Pond Island. Here we had good hikes in the old-growth forest, and kayaked up a creek that is flooded by the high tide twice a day, among the tall Sitka spruce and western hemlock trees. We also enjoyed some Zodiac rides among the small islands, enjoying great views of the so numerous bald eagles that perched atop the tall trees. Other land birds gave forth their songs for us, as we sat quietly in small coves.
Lunch was a barbecue on deck. At this time we picked up two members of the Alaska Whale Foundation who had lunch with us, and shortly thereafter shared with us with information on the functioning of their research in the area, directed mainly at humpback whales. Great scientific information is obtained on different aspects of whale behavior, feeding habits, and interrelationship of individuals that participate in that unique Alaskan phenomenon of the humpback whales: bubble-net feeding. Here a small number of whales dive around a large school of small fish and swim under them creating a net of bubbles that encloses the mass of fish. These become frightened and ball even tighter together, being instantaneously engulfed by the huge open mouths of the behemoths as they swim towards the surface. The water is quickly forced through the balleen in the mouth of the animal, and the fish are then swallowed.
On we traveled, almost immediately sighting a series of humpback whales, which we followed at a distance to observe their behavior. And it was after these observations that we had our wine and northwestern foods tasting moment. Red and white wines, cheeses, jams, chocolate and smoked seafoods! That was definitely not enough, as by then we had relocated to another part of Baranof Island: Redbluff Bay. Here are to be seen a series of reddish mineral-rich bluffs unfit for colonization by plants due to the high content of exotic metals. Waterfalls marked the sheer cliff walls, covered by green vegetation. Almost at the end of the reserved to small ships because of shallow depths and narrow walls bay, we faced a huge waterfall of ice-cold water. Again we had the opportunity of observing different birds here, among them an American dipper! And at the end of the bay on a flat meadow, we watched a brown or grizzly bear. It was at this time that dinner was served.
