Misty mornings, with wispy clouds floating amongst the lowest topographic contours and the near-silent sound of raindrops, manifest one element of the true character of Southeast Alaska. Such precipitation, reaching over 100 inches per year, both fuels and sustains the temperate rain forest, muskeg, and glacier ecosystems we’ve explored on this expedition.
Our morning stop at Pond Island in Kelp Bay, Baranof Island provided the chance to engage with a landscape shaped by beavers over many years. The largest of North American rodents, beavers require two to three feet of standing water as security from predators and for year-round access to their lodges; where water levels are too shallow, they build log dams to flood the surrounding area. Pond Island’s namesake was created in this manner, and to reach this serene location today’s hikes required ducking under and clambering over downed trees, tromping across mud puddles, and bushwhacking through the blueberry and huckleberry-dominated forest understory. Carefully chewed stumps, as well as bark-stripped trees, offered clues to the island’s earlier residents and natural history. Kayakers circumnavigated another of Kelp Bay’s nearby islands while deer and mink were spotted during concurrent Zodiac cruises. Glimpses of the muskeg’s unusual plant community were a prelude to upcoming walks in future days, and all will now hike with their senses tuned for the smaller-yet-equally-fascinating plants and animals of this region.
Sometimes at sea plans change, and today that was the case. When our anticipated guest speaker was unable to meet the ship, a new series of interesting activities quickly appeared. While cruising Chatham Strait in search of wildlife, we enjoyed photography instructor Erika Skogg’s stories of her contributions to conservation and scientific field research in Colombia. Later, Captain Cook brought National Geographic Sea Bird quite close to Kasnyku falls for a unique picture opportunity. Deepening our understanding of the marine mammals observed to date, naturalist Pete Pederson shared the behavioral and personality quirks of whales, seals, and sea lions through anecdotes and images.
As we drifted into Woewodski Harbor for a dinnertime respite from the afternoon’s moderate seas, a humpback whale joined us, waving its pectoral fins and breaching, much to our delight. Continued whale watching in the fading light of dusk, and perhaps a film about tomorrow’s destination (Petersburg), comprise our evening underway.
