Winding northward, up the circuitous and aptly named Wrangle Narrows, we had a visual lesson in all the different aids to navigation for keeping ships safe in the deep water and away from shallows, rocks, and submerged reefs. Bette Lu pointed out the range markers, nuns, buoys, and how the rhyme of “red right return” was not going to work well navigating around the many islands of Southeast Alaska. Here the navigation mantra is “red right north.”
Browsing along the shore were Sitka black-tailed deer, sprinkled about the tree tops were numerous eagles, and scattered across the waters were surf and white-winged scoters, cormorants, and Bonaparte’s gulls. We soon came to the town of Petersburg on Mitkof Island and jumped into a variety of activities.
Whether flying over the ice fields that feed Le Conte and Patterson Glaciers, bicycling around Mitkof Island, strolling through the bog on Kupreanof Island, or moseying along the working fleet of fishing boats in the harbor, we filled our afternoon and satiated our sense of discovery.
The highly productive water that provides the bounty of seafood supporting the townsfolk of Petersburg was the source of our evening meal. Dungeness crab was the main feature of the evening and the cracking of shells accompanied by a few flying bits all facilitated an amazing gastronomic event.
The evening ended with a slow cruise into Frederick Sound in calm waters accompanied by a stunning backdrop of snowcapped mountains. Magical.
