Fog lay gently across Petersburg Bay as the National Geographic Sea Lion slowly cruised into port shortly after breakfast. With expedition landing crafts afloat, we shuttled across the bay to the Petersburg muskeg on Kupriakof Island. A kid’s hike began the day with the seven children learning to eat blueberries like bears while identifying other edible, as well as poisonous berries. We then began to find several banana slugs “cruising” along the forest floor. Meanwhile parents and other adults headed out through an old-age forest discovering the diversity of flora while hiking along a Tongass National Forest constructed trail. In addition diverse flora, some hikers observed bald eagles, grouse and Swainson’s thrush. While in the Muskeg, the Sundew insectivorous plants and plant adaptations to an anaerobic acid bog dominated the conversation. During the afternoon, a small group even got to see a brown bear wonder along the muskeg – forest vegetation transition zone.
Throughout the day numerous different folks took the opportunity to flight-see across the LeConte glacier and icefield. Having already observed Dawes Glacier from water level, the flight-see allowed numerous folks to see the larger picture and better understand the dynamics glacier formation, movement and terminology as explained by Naturalist Al Trujillo earlier in the day. Later in the afternoon, Jared Berg, undersea specialist led a dock walk sharing with folks the different types of fishing vessels and the mechanisms used for catching fish. The remainder of the day allowed folks to explore Petersburg and even visit the Petersburg community market at the Norwegian community center. After a delicious Dungeness crab dinner, we departed Petersburg.
