Chatham Strait and Lake Eva, Alaska
Killer whales capture our imagination. They are powerful predators yet they live in closely-knit family groups. Black and white animals with bold markings for some reason appeal to us, including not only killer whales, but pandas and penguins as well. Any hopes of seeing these magnificent cetaceans were more than fulfilled during our morning between the shores of Chichigof and Admiralty Islands. We had just settled in to see a presentation entitled “An Appreciation of John Muir’s Travels in Alaska” by one of our Princeton lecturers, Betty Horn, when the whales appeared. We were able to enjoy this excellent talk later in the morning, but meanwhile all of our attention became focused on these largest members of the dolphin family. They approached us and surfaced next to the ship over and over again. At times their white markings shimmered underwater, teasing us before their rounded heads and dagger-like dorsal fins broke the still water.
The anchor dropped in Hanus Bay in preparation for our afternoon activities. Kayakers entered a protected inner lagoon flooded by high tide. Young guests learned the intricacies of handling Zodiacs. A forested path led hikers along a clear stream teeming with schools of fish. The water was alive with sinuous bodies of pink salmon milling in deep pools and holding their positions in the shallows. The rich red sockeyes stood out against the smaller humpies, a few small trout hid in the shadows, and at least one larger chum traveled along the shoreline with its smaller relatives. Signs of brown bears were everywhere. Fish lay partially eaten along the trail and scat and paw prints provided further evidence that we were not alone here. The hikers who returned last actually watched a bear as it entered the stream, tackled a fish, and carried it off into the forest. Zodiac cruisers checked out a humpback from water level, and all returned to the ship for an evening with a special kids’ dinner and a talk by whale researcher Dr. Fred Sharpe.
Killer whales capture our imagination. They are powerful predators yet they live in closely-knit family groups. Black and white animals with bold markings for some reason appeal to us, including not only killer whales, but pandas and penguins as well. Any hopes of seeing these magnificent cetaceans were more than fulfilled during our morning between the shores of Chichigof and Admiralty Islands. We had just settled in to see a presentation entitled “An Appreciation of John Muir’s Travels in Alaska” by one of our Princeton lecturers, Betty Horn, when the whales appeared. We were able to enjoy this excellent talk later in the morning, but meanwhile all of our attention became focused on these largest members of the dolphin family. They approached us and surfaced next to the ship over and over again. At times their white markings shimmered underwater, teasing us before their rounded heads and dagger-like dorsal fins broke the still water.
The anchor dropped in Hanus Bay in preparation for our afternoon activities. Kayakers entered a protected inner lagoon flooded by high tide. Young guests learned the intricacies of handling Zodiacs. A forested path led hikers along a clear stream teeming with schools of fish. The water was alive with sinuous bodies of pink salmon milling in deep pools and holding their positions in the shallows. The rich red sockeyes stood out against the smaller humpies, a few small trout hid in the shadows, and at least one larger chum traveled along the shoreline with its smaller relatives. Signs of brown bears were everywhere. Fish lay partially eaten along the trail and scat and paw prints provided further evidence that we were not alone here. The hikers who returned last actually watched a bear as it entered the stream, tackled a fish, and carried it off into the forest. Zodiac cruisers checked out a humpback from water level, and all returned to the ship for an evening with a special kids’ dinner and a talk by whale researcher Dr. Fred Sharpe.
