Petersburg & Thomas Bay
We awoke this morning, for the first time in four days, near human civilization. The town of Petersburg, for many of us, may not qualify as a booming metropolis; but for Southeast Alaska standards, it is a good-sized settlement. The livelihood of the area became evident as we entered the boat harbor teeming with commercial fishing vessels. Throughout the voyage we have had an opportunity to taste the splendors of the Alaskan waters. Now with the fishing vessels strewn along the docks, deckhands cleaning and re-stacking nets, boats listing to one side laden with the success of the trip, and catches being delivered to the local fish processing plant, we gained a greater appreciation for the great Alaskan fishing industry. After docking, several of us crossed Wrangell Narrows to Kupreanof Island for a walk in a muskeg, a bog habitat covering nearly ten percent of Southeast Alaska and home to the carnivorous round sundew. While in the muskeg, trackers in training identified fresh mink tracks across a mudflat. Others explored Petersburg. Whether on bike or foot, this small Norwegian fishing town satisfied the shopper and health-enthusiast in all of us.
The anchor dropped mid-afternoon in Thomas Bay, an area plagued with bizarre stories and superstitions. The trail paralleling Cascade Creek offered mistfully beautiful views of the raging falls, the greatest vertical drop along the creek. Exercise hikers forged ahead while others mucked around in the skunk cabbage in search of rough skinned newts. Back on the beach, kayakers waiting to hit the water swatted at the white socks, nasty little bugs. Once on the water, out of the reach of the bugs, kayakers paddled around small islands and to the mouth of Cascade Creek. One lucky paddler had a close encounter with an eagle as it swooped down nearly taking the hat off their head. We returned to the ship after an active day of exploring. As the kayaks and Zodiacs were lifted and the anchor raised, a cold breeze began to blow reminding us that summer in Alaska is a fleeting moment and fall will soon be upon us.
We awoke this morning, for the first time in four days, near human civilization. The town of Petersburg, for many of us, may not qualify as a booming metropolis; but for Southeast Alaska standards, it is a good-sized settlement. The livelihood of the area became evident as we entered the boat harbor teeming with commercial fishing vessels. Throughout the voyage we have had an opportunity to taste the splendors of the Alaskan waters. Now with the fishing vessels strewn along the docks, deckhands cleaning and re-stacking nets, boats listing to one side laden with the success of the trip, and catches being delivered to the local fish processing plant, we gained a greater appreciation for the great Alaskan fishing industry. After docking, several of us crossed Wrangell Narrows to Kupreanof Island for a walk in a muskeg, a bog habitat covering nearly ten percent of Southeast Alaska and home to the carnivorous round sundew. While in the muskeg, trackers in training identified fresh mink tracks across a mudflat. Others explored Petersburg. Whether on bike or foot, this small Norwegian fishing town satisfied the shopper and health-enthusiast in all of us.
The anchor dropped mid-afternoon in Thomas Bay, an area plagued with bizarre stories and superstitions. The trail paralleling Cascade Creek offered mistfully beautiful views of the raging falls, the greatest vertical drop along the creek. Exercise hikers forged ahead while others mucked around in the skunk cabbage in search of rough skinned newts. Back on the beach, kayakers waiting to hit the water swatted at the white socks, nasty little bugs. Once on the water, out of the reach of the bugs, kayakers paddled around small islands and to the mouth of Cascade Creek. One lucky paddler had a close encounter with an eagle as it swooped down nearly taking the hat off their head. We returned to the ship after an active day of exploring. As the kayaks and Zodiacs were lifted and the anchor raised, a cold breeze began to blow reminding us that summer in Alaska is a fleeting moment and fall will soon be upon us.
