Hanus Bay, Baranof Island & Chatham Strait
Our first day of exploring was filled with big excitement and tiny (but very important!) details. Wearing rubber boots and sunscreen, we boarded the Zodiac that would take us ashore for a morning of hikes and kayaking in Hanus Bay. Stepping from the beach onto the trail, we entered the captivating world of old-growth forest. Although the Lake Eva trail is one of many maintained by the Forest Service throughout the almost 17 million acres within the Tongass National Forest, what we witnessed along the trail was pure, untamed nature.
Thanks to our team of naturalists, we came to appreciate that each plant, animal, and fungi is not just an individual, but that they are all interconnected within the old-growth forest ecosystem. From banana slugs to brown bears, salmon to Sitka spruce, each living organism affects the other. A decomposing tree provides a base from which new plants grow, producing berries and other munchies for the bears to enjoy in between meals of salmon. As parts of the discarded salmon meals decompose, they in turn leave deposits, which enrich the soil, leaving nutrients that the plants and trees absorb…and the circle continues…. Through tidal flats, forest, and alongside a salmon-choked stream, those of us on the interpretive walks observed the finer details of the forest (like the “chicken of the forest” fungi”), while those on the more exercise-driven hikes observed not one, but two of the larger members of the forest – the brown bear. Not to be outdone, belted kingfishers and bald eagles flew by or perched regally on nearby branches, allowing us a glimpse into their lives within the forest.
Emerging from the forest, we re-boarded the Sea Bird, and as we weighed anchor, our thoughts turned from the forest to the ocean – another world filled with the tiniest of organisms to some of the largest creatures on earth. This time, it was thanks to a laterally lunge-feeding humpback whale that we were able to observe two ends of the oceanic spectrum at the same time. One hour became two as we watched, amazed, at this unique feeding behavior. Staying just below the surface, the 40-foot mammal would swim on its side, opening its enormous pleated throat time and time again, gulping tons of water and krill. As it swam back and forth, it came closer and closer to the ship. Although it was eating with its mouth open, we were not about to scold this humpback for its poor manners. Rather, we were thrilled – the wide open jaws let us see right into the whale’s mouth and the sieve-like strands of baleen hanging from its upper jaw. We were impressed that one of the most mammoth creatures feeds on some of the smallest living things. Again, the connection between big and small depending upon one another was made, and having the chance to witness this firsthand was a great way to begin our expedition.
Our first day of exploring was filled with big excitement and tiny (but very important!) details. Wearing rubber boots and sunscreen, we boarded the Zodiac that would take us ashore for a morning of hikes and kayaking in Hanus Bay. Stepping from the beach onto the trail, we entered the captivating world of old-growth forest. Although the Lake Eva trail is one of many maintained by the Forest Service throughout the almost 17 million acres within the Tongass National Forest, what we witnessed along the trail was pure, untamed nature.
Thanks to our team of naturalists, we came to appreciate that each plant, animal, and fungi is not just an individual, but that they are all interconnected within the old-growth forest ecosystem. From banana slugs to brown bears, salmon to Sitka spruce, each living organism affects the other. A decomposing tree provides a base from which new plants grow, producing berries and other munchies for the bears to enjoy in between meals of salmon. As parts of the discarded salmon meals decompose, they in turn leave deposits, which enrich the soil, leaving nutrients that the plants and trees absorb…and the circle continues…. Through tidal flats, forest, and alongside a salmon-choked stream, those of us on the interpretive walks observed the finer details of the forest (like the “chicken of the forest” fungi”), while those on the more exercise-driven hikes observed not one, but two of the larger members of the forest – the brown bear. Not to be outdone, belted kingfishers and bald eagles flew by or perched regally on nearby branches, allowing us a glimpse into their lives within the forest.
Emerging from the forest, we re-boarded the Sea Bird, and as we weighed anchor, our thoughts turned from the forest to the ocean – another world filled with the tiniest of organisms to some of the largest creatures on earth. This time, it was thanks to a laterally lunge-feeding humpback whale that we were able to observe two ends of the oceanic spectrum at the same time. One hour became two as we watched, amazed, at this unique feeding behavior. Staying just below the surface, the 40-foot mammal would swim on its side, opening its enormous pleated throat time and time again, gulping tons of water and krill. As it swam back and forth, it came closer and closer to the ship. Although it was eating with its mouth open, we were not about to scold this humpback for its poor manners. Rather, we were thrilled – the wide open jaws let us see right into the whale’s mouth and the sieve-like strands of baleen hanging from its upper jaw. We were impressed that one of the most mammoth creatures feeds on some of the smallest living things. Again, the connection between big and small depending upon one another was made, and having the chance to witness this firsthand was a great way to begin our expedition.
