Cape Fanshaw
Our first full day aboard the Sea Lion began and ended with beautiful weather and whales - with wondrous wanderings in between. We awoke beneath scattered patches of blue sky in the midst of Frederick Sound near the northern entrance to Keku Strait. Here, Humpback whales fed in calm waters, red necked phalaropes flew fleetingly above kelp beds, and Dall's porpoises raced across the surface of the sea with a purpose of their own. To the north lay Admiralty Island, to the southwest Kuiu Island, to the southeast Kupreanof Island, and to the east the high snow-capped peaks of mainland North America. Neither words nor pictures will ever describe the sights we truly saw and sensed. It was, however, the graceful feeding behavior of the Humpbacks which entranced us for most of the morning… flukes flashing… "blows" being heard and seen… "footprints" left upon the sea… and bubbles surfacing in circular patterns. 'Twas only our own need to feed which pulled us away from this sensational setting.
During lunch, the Sea Lion moved eastward towards the mainland, and once there dropped its anchor in a protected bay on the north side of Cape Fanshaw. Zodiacs and kayaks were lowered, life-vests were donned, and soon we were ashore for an afternoon of exploring the waterways, shoreline, and backcountry of this remote portion of the Tongass National Forest. Some people hiked into the high muskegs of the Cape to trod the spongy carpet of moss and gain and overview of the region; others both kayaked and hiked along the serene shoreline poking kayaks and cameras into the nooks and niches of this temperate rainforest; and some people opted for a more serene and sedate tour of the coastline in Zodiacs. These were our various, wondrous, wanderings for the day.
Back aboard we settled in for refreshments, wine-tasting, and re-cap. This was followed by dinner and a sunset cruise around Sail Island, Five Finger lighthouse, and the lower part of Stephens Passage. As if to balance out the day we were once more enthralled by the grace of the Humpback whales. With a salmon colored sunset (9:30PM), and whales encircling the ship we retired for the night. All had bonded with their boots, and all seemed as it should be… except… where was the rain?
Photo of Frederick Sound/Stephens Passage
Our first full day aboard the Sea Lion began and ended with beautiful weather and whales - with wondrous wanderings in between. We awoke beneath scattered patches of blue sky in the midst of Frederick Sound near the northern entrance to Keku Strait. Here, Humpback whales fed in calm waters, red necked phalaropes flew fleetingly above kelp beds, and Dall's porpoises raced across the surface of the sea with a purpose of their own. To the north lay Admiralty Island, to the southwest Kuiu Island, to the southeast Kupreanof Island, and to the east the high snow-capped peaks of mainland North America. Neither words nor pictures will ever describe the sights we truly saw and sensed. It was, however, the graceful feeding behavior of the Humpbacks which entranced us for most of the morning… flukes flashing… "blows" being heard and seen… "footprints" left upon the sea… and bubbles surfacing in circular patterns. 'Twas only our own need to feed which pulled us away from this sensational setting.
During lunch, the Sea Lion moved eastward towards the mainland, and once there dropped its anchor in a protected bay on the north side of Cape Fanshaw. Zodiacs and kayaks were lowered, life-vests were donned, and soon we were ashore for an afternoon of exploring the waterways, shoreline, and backcountry of this remote portion of the Tongass National Forest. Some people hiked into the high muskegs of the Cape to trod the spongy carpet of moss and gain and overview of the region; others both kayaked and hiked along the serene shoreline poking kayaks and cameras into the nooks and niches of this temperate rainforest; and some people opted for a more serene and sedate tour of the coastline in Zodiacs. These were our various, wondrous, wanderings for the day.
Back aboard we settled in for refreshments, wine-tasting, and re-cap. This was followed by dinner and a sunset cruise around Sail Island, Five Finger lighthouse, and the lower part of Stephens Passage. As if to balance out the day we were once more enthralled by the grace of the Humpback whales. With a salmon colored sunset (9:30PM), and whales encircling the ship we retired for the night. All had bonded with their boots, and all seemed as it should be… except… where was the rain?
Photo of Frederick Sound/Stephens Passage
