Elfin Cove, Chichagof Island, Alaska
Independence day in Alaska was celebrated with a series of wonderful parades today. After a pre-breakfast encounter with a very restful and relaxed sea otter, we made an excursion into the tiny community of Elfin Cove on the north coast of Chichagof Island. Elfin Cove has exactly no streets, only boardwalks which ring the base of the forested hills around the beautiful little bays where the town is built. Nonetheless the townsfolk put on an excellent parade, including a Viking ship, a six-foot tall walking king salmon and a thunderous artillery piece known as a potato gun. Several of our group joined in the procession around the boardwalk and everyone enjoyed the red, white and blue balloons and the candy which several large elves were throwing to the crowd.
Not far away, George Island beckoned us for the afternoon and while the guests were exploring its forests and rocky shores on foot and by kayak I donned my dry-suit, slipped into the water where I discovered a parade of beautiful marine creatures. Exquisite nudibranchs, sea stars large and small, brilliantly colored anemones and bright orange and blue fish marched by the lens of my video camera as I took the role of spectator in the kelp forest.
Back on the ship, I edited the video I had shot and planned to show it after dinner but I was interrupted by another parade in which all the participants where nattily dressed in black and white. A group of fifteen or more killer whales were sighted, parading east through Icy Straits, just as we finished dinner. We all quickly took our favorite parade viewing spots on the bow and for the next hour and a half we joined their procession, watching in delight and amazement as the huge adult male, several females and a number of young calves frolicked at the surface with a backdrop distant misty mountains and evening light on the water. Spy-hopping, breaching, barrel rolling and tail slapping only a few meters away, their exuberance made us feel that they too were celebrating a wonderful independence day.
Independence day in Alaska was celebrated with a series of wonderful parades today. After a pre-breakfast encounter with a very restful and relaxed sea otter, we made an excursion into the tiny community of Elfin Cove on the north coast of Chichagof Island. Elfin Cove has exactly no streets, only boardwalks which ring the base of the forested hills around the beautiful little bays where the town is built. Nonetheless the townsfolk put on an excellent parade, including a Viking ship, a six-foot tall walking king salmon and a thunderous artillery piece known as a potato gun. Several of our group joined in the procession around the boardwalk and everyone enjoyed the red, white and blue balloons and the candy which several large elves were throwing to the crowd.
Not far away, George Island beckoned us for the afternoon and while the guests were exploring its forests and rocky shores on foot and by kayak I donned my dry-suit, slipped into the water where I discovered a parade of beautiful marine creatures. Exquisite nudibranchs, sea stars large and small, brilliantly colored anemones and bright orange and blue fish marched by the lens of my video camera as I took the role of spectator in the kelp forest.
Back on the ship, I edited the video I had shot and planned to show it after dinner but I was interrupted by another parade in which all the participants where nattily dressed in black and white. A group of fifteen or more killer whales were sighted, parading east through Icy Straits, just as we finished dinner. We all quickly took our favorite parade viewing spots on the bow and for the next hour and a half we joined their procession, watching in delight and amazement as the huge adult male, several females and a number of young calves frolicked at the surface with a backdrop distant misty mountains and evening light on the water. Spy-hopping, breaching, barrel rolling and tail slapping only a few meters away, their exuberance made us feel that they too were celebrating a wonderful independence day.
