Pavlof Harbor/Peril Strait
From Chatham Strait we turned westward into Freshwater Bay early on this very pleasant morning. In time for the 7:00 a.m. wake-up call, a brown bear mother with two cubs-of-the-year (C.O.Y.'s) appeared on the beach of Chichagof Island. Weighing less than a pound when born in the den during the winter, the cubs are still quite small and we enjoyed seeing their antics as they clumsily climbed over some logs that had washed up on the beach. It was like watching a silly cartoon. After a while the bears made their way back into the forest.
The Sea Lion anchored in Pavlof Harbor and we went ashore for hiking and kayaking after breakfast. Hikers set off past a waterfall and up to Pavlof Lake, listening to birdsong and finding evidence of beavers and bears that live in the area. Many wildflowers are in bloom at this time of year, including red and yellow paintbrush and chocolate lily in the meadows, and yellow marsh-marigold on the margins of the lake. The kayakers paddled to the base of the falls and over into an adjacent cove. Sea stars and layers of algae and other intertidal organisms could be seen in the lowering tide. Scenery and solitude made it a good time and place to reflect on all the experiences of the past week.
As we departed our anchorage, we noticed some humpback whales in the distance. It turned out to be another group of cooperatively feeding animals, some of which we recognized from the other day. How lucky could we be? We followed them into Tenakee Arm, where we had found and observed them before. Periodically they would erupt on the surface showing a jumble of body parts as they swallowed mouthfuls of herring. One by one they would dive, showing flukes, and then repeat the performance. We deployed the hydrophone (an underwater microphone) to listen for their feeding sounds as they corralled and concentrated the fish into a tight ball in order to get the most fish per feeding bout. We thought we heard more that one vocalizing whale, which was a surprise, since it is believed that each whale has a particular position and role in the bubblenet feeding strategy.
Finally the Sea Lion continued on its way and David Stephens gave a presentation on Northwest Native art and culture to prepare us for our visit to Sitka. Using slides and his own artistic creations, he demonstrated traditional cultural items and the methods for making them.
Just when we thought it was all over, we were called back out onto the decks to see killer whales in Peril Strait. Our extraordinary luck continues! It was a group of about seven animals, including a large male and a youngster that was still keeping close to its mother. The adult male was particularly impressive and drew “aahs” and a barrage of shutter clicks whenever its tall dorsal fin broke the surface. Whether inside or outside, people were able to get good views and photographs of this largest member of the dolphin family. Once again we dropped the hydrophone into the water but did not hear much communication between the whales. Perhaps this was a transient pod – the ones that eat other marine mammals. While hunting, they tend to keep silent or mimic existing background noises in order to achieve maximum stealth, as opposed to residents – the fish-eating killer whales. After comparing pictures and weighing other evidence the determination was still inconclusive, leaving much to speculation.
At the end of the day, and the end of the week, we were quite overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, aromas, and overall feeling, mystery and magic of Southeast Alaska.
From Chatham Strait we turned westward into Freshwater Bay early on this very pleasant morning. In time for the 7:00 a.m. wake-up call, a brown bear mother with two cubs-of-the-year (C.O.Y.'s) appeared on the beach of Chichagof Island. Weighing less than a pound when born in the den during the winter, the cubs are still quite small and we enjoyed seeing their antics as they clumsily climbed over some logs that had washed up on the beach. It was like watching a silly cartoon. After a while the bears made their way back into the forest.
The Sea Lion anchored in Pavlof Harbor and we went ashore for hiking and kayaking after breakfast. Hikers set off past a waterfall and up to Pavlof Lake, listening to birdsong and finding evidence of beavers and bears that live in the area. Many wildflowers are in bloom at this time of year, including red and yellow paintbrush and chocolate lily in the meadows, and yellow marsh-marigold on the margins of the lake. The kayakers paddled to the base of the falls and over into an adjacent cove. Sea stars and layers of algae and other intertidal organisms could be seen in the lowering tide. Scenery and solitude made it a good time and place to reflect on all the experiences of the past week.
As we departed our anchorage, we noticed some humpback whales in the distance. It turned out to be another group of cooperatively feeding animals, some of which we recognized from the other day. How lucky could we be? We followed them into Tenakee Arm, where we had found and observed them before. Periodically they would erupt on the surface showing a jumble of body parts as they swallowed mouthfuls of herring. One by one they would dive, showing flukes, and then repeat the performance. We deployed the hydrophone (an underwater microphone) to listen for their feeding sounds as they corralled and concentrated the fish into a tight ball in order to get the most fish per feeding bout. We thought we heard more that one vocalizing whale, which was a surprise, since it is believed that each whale has a particular position and role in the bubblenet feeding strategy.
Finally the Sea Lion continued on its way and David Stephens gave a presentation on Northwest Native art and culture to prepare us for our visit to Sitka. Using slides and his own artistic creations, he demonstrated traditional cultural items and the methods for making them.
Just when we thought it was all over, we were called back out onto the decks to see killer whales in Peril Strait. Our extraordinary luck continues! It was a group of about seven animals, including a large male and a youngster that was still keeping close to its mother. The adult male was particularly impressive and drew “aahs” and a barrage of shutter clicks whenever its tall dorsal fin broke the surface. Whether inside or outside, people were able to get good views and photographs of this largest member of the dolphin family. Once again we dropped the hydrophone into the water but did not hear much communication between the whales. Perhaps this was a transient pod – the ones that eat other marine mammals. While hunting, they tend to keep silent or mimic existing background noises in order to achieve maximum stealth, as opposed to residents – the fish-eating killer whales. After comparing pictures and weighing other evidence the determination was still inconclusive, leaving much to speculation.
At the end of the day, and the end of the week, we were quite overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, aromas, and overall feeling, mystery and magic of Southeast Alaska.
