Point Adolphus
Ah, the delicious sent of the chocolate lily! There is little more memorable about Alaska than inhaling deep wafts of this delightful flower. Actually, the scent of this shapely brown blossom hardly calls Hershey to mind. It might better be called “barnyard” or “midden” lily. Terser appellations come to mind. We found great gardens of chocolate lily while walking at Fox Creek on Chichagof Island. The unforgettable odor and carrion color of the chocolate lily are designed to attract its primary pollinator – flies. Flies might also have been pleased at our next discovery – the scattered hair and well-picked bones of a deer carcass. Heavy snowfall has made this a difficult winter for deer. But Chichagof’s many brown bears, emerging from hibernation, found winter-killed deer a welcome springtime feast. We found bear tracks on the beach, skunk cabbage, freshly munched, in the forest, and bear fur clinging to the trunks of trail-side trees.
Icy Strait is famously rich in marine life. Fierce tidal currents stir the pot of primary productivity, and all sorts of creatures flock to the maritime bounty. Cruising the strait’s jade-green water, we saw flocks of noisy gulls, cute and busy sea otters, and the spouts of distant whales. We dropped anchor among the Inian Islands and boarded Zodiacs for a more intimate voyage. Soon we found Steller sea lions swimming around us. These creatures can be monstrous - males may be the size of a buffalo bull. Curious yet wary, the ‘lions often neared our boats to give us a round-eyed stare, a grimace, and a splashy farewell. Boating down-wind of the sea lions’ haul-out called chocolate lilies to mind. Sea lions crave company, but seem forever to complain about the over-crowding. We heard their throaty bellowed protests, and admired their lumbering tussles.
Savoring the solstice’s lasting light, we entered Dundas Bay. Well-known for wildlife, the bay did not disappoint. We saw lots of otters, many with pups aboard. Black and brown bears competed for our attention. And we even found a couple of Alaska’s most emblematic, yet, in Southeast, most elusive creatures – the stately moose!
Icy Strait, perhaps the wildest and richest part of Southeast Alaska, can fill with experience even the longest day.
Ah, the delicious sent of the chocolate lily! There is little more memorable about Alaska than inhaling deep wafts of this delightful flower. Actually, the scent of this shapely brown blossom hardly calls Hershey to mind. It might better be called “barnyard” or “midden” lily. Terser appellations come to mind. We found great gardens of chocolate lily while walking at Fox Creek on Chichagof Island. The unforgettable odor and carrion color of the chocolate lily are designed to attract its primary pollinator – flies. Flies might also have been pleased at our next discovery – the scattered hair and well-picked bones of a deer carcass. Heavy snowfall has made this a difficult winter for deer. But Chichagof’s many brown bears, emerging from hibernation, found winter-killed deer a welcome springtime feast. We found bear tracks on the beach, skunk cabbage, freshly munched, in the forest, and bear fur clinging to the trunks of trail-side trees.
Icy Strait is famously rich in marine life. Fierce tidal currents stir the pot of primary productivity, and all sorts of creatures flock to the maritime bounty. Cruising the strait’s jade-green water, we saw flocks of noisy gulls, cute and busy sea otters, and the spouts of distant whales. We dropped anchor among the Inian Islands and boarded Zodiacs for a more intimate voyage. Soon we found Steller sea lions swimming around us. These creatures can be monstrous - males may be the size of a buffalo bull. Curious yet wary, the ‘lions often neared our boats to give us a round-eyed stare, a grimace, and a splashy farewell. Boating down-wind of the sea lions’ haul-out called chocolate lilies to mind. Sea lions crave company, but seem forever to complain about the over-crowding. We heard their throaty bellowed protests, and admired their lumbering tussles.
Savoring the solstice’s lasting light, we entered Dundas Bay. Well-known for wildlife, the bay did not disappoint. We saw lots of otters, many with pups aboard. Black and brown bears competed for our attention. And we even found a couple of Alaska’s most emblematic, yet, in Southeast, most elusive creatures – the stately moose!
Icy Strait, perhaps the wildest and richest part of Southeast Alaska, can fill with experience even the longest day.
