Chatham Strait & Kelp Bay
Our morning was spent voyaging south through Chatham Strait searching for wildlife. It is thought that the name Chatham probably came from the explorer George Vancouver, who called one of his ships the Chatham. In Sitkoh Bay we spotted two Sitka black-tail deer. We also got to see harlequin ducks and humpback whales.
After lunch we entered the south arm of gorgeous Kelp Bay, where the sea was as calm as glass. Rugged snow-capped mountains poked through the clouds and beautiful waterfalls tumbled down the steep slopes. Kayakers were treated to a humpback whale sharing his territory and curious harbor seals poked their heads up to take a look-see.
Other guests saw large schools of salmon as they approached the shore of Baranof Island in the Sea Lion’s Zodiacs. Here, we began our adventurous forays into the grassy meadow and thick forest. The hikers found the going challenging at times, through prickly devils club, crossing streams, and climbing over fallen trees. In several muddy areas we saw large brown bear prints, clear evidence of the bear’s presence in this area.
After we returned to the Sea Lion, Sean Hansen from the Alaska Whale Foundation began his presentation on humpback whales. As we were watching his slides describing a type of feeding behavior called “bubble net feeding,” a large splash was seen outside the window. Making our way up to the bow of the ship, we were thrilled to watch a rambunctious humpback calf giving us the show of a lifetime. It breached over and over again, leaping into the air and returning to the water with a loud splash. Then, it rolled over repeatedly, slapping its pectoral fins as if waving to us. It was an incredible event that we will never forget, and a wonderful ending to a wonderful day!
Our morning was spent voyaging south through Chatham Strait searching for wildlife. It is thought that the name Chatham probably came from the explorer George Vancouver, who called one of his ships the Chatham. In Sitkoh Bay we spotted two Sitka black-tail deer. We also got to see harlequin ducks and humpback whales.
After lunch we entered the south arm of gorgeous Kelp Bay, where the sea was as calm as glass. Rugged snow-capped mountains poked through the clouds and beautiful waterfalls tumbled down the steep slopes. Kayakers were treated to a humpback whale sharing his territory and curious harbor seals poked their heads up to take a look-see.
Other guests saw large schools of salmon as they approached the shore of Baranof Island in the Sea Lion’s Zodiacs. Here, we began our adventurous forays into the grassy meadow and thick forest. The hikers found the going challenging at times, through prickly devils club, crossing streams, and climbing over fallen trees. In several muddy areas we saw large brown bear prints, clear evidence of the bear’s presence in this area.
After we returned to the Sea Lion, Sean Hansen from the Alaska Whale Foundation began his presentation on humpback whales. As we were watching his slides describing a type of feeding behavior called “bubble net feeding,” a large splash was seen outside the window. Making our way up to the bow of the ship, we were thrilled to watch a rambunctious humpback calf giving us the show of a lifetime. It breached over and over again, leaping into the air and returning to the water with a loud splash. Then, it rolled over repeatedly, slapping its pectoral fins as if waving to us. It was an incredible event that we will never forget, and a wonderful ending to a wonderful day!
