Kelp Bay
Peace and insurmountable beauty best describes our day! The clarity of the early morning light, with a partly cloudy sky, made the surrounding mountains especially lovely. As we made our way into this lovely bay, our wakeup call came earlier than 7:00 am. At first we were puzzled, but as we listened to Neil Folsom, our expedition leader, it became clear to us that we better hurry and get out on deck! A group of seven humpback whales were sighted along the shoreline, and as they circled around and passed closer to the ship, we had no difficulty hearing their powerful and forceful exhalations, called 'blows'. We marveled at their wide flukes as they went down for their deeper feeding dives. As water cascaded over their graceful, massive bodies we felt fortunate to spend our time before breakfast in the peaceful company of these gentle giants.
The serenity of the day continued to envelope us as we explored Pond Island. After breakfast we donned our boots and set out in Zodiacs where we were taken to the beach for our morning explorations. Some of us hiked deep into the forest, reaching a patch of yellow pond lilies, as well as patches of crowberry, gentian, and beautiful mosses draped everywhere. Others explored the shoreline for life in the intertidal habitats, so rich in species diversity. Although this was a 'rocky' shore, rocks were barely visible because they were so densely populated with blue mussels and barnacles. We peered into the water's edge and were amazed to see so many tidepool sculpins and hermit crabs scurrying about, busy looking for another future shell to call home. Many also had an opportunity to kayak, and it was just so nice to be drifting and paddling in the glassy, calm water, transfixed by the surrounding beauty. As the sun became more intense, our senses were saturated with the smells of the still moist forest, mixed with the exposed intertidal algae. Following deer trails, the longer hikers explored the interior of the island where they saw lots of beaver activity. As we all encountered some the famous boot-sucking mud of Southeast Alaska, we watched closely as our predecessors stepped carefully, looking for appropriate footholds.
After lunch, Dr. Fred Sharpe, from the Alaska Whale Foundation came aboard the Sea Lion to give a presentation on his long-term studies on the whale's feeding ecology, prey choice, and social structure. Following the presentation, guests had an opportunity to ask questions about some of the research, legislation, and aspects of whales.
Our afternoon hikes and Zodiac tours took us into some tidal inlets and along a stream that was edged with bear tracks. As we peered into the stream, we could see swirls of water where the salmon waited and rested before the big push to swim further upstream to spawn. We stood in silence along the stream bank and watched both the pink and chum salmon, practicing for the final act in their lives. Piles of partially eaten salmon in clearings in the tall grasses were evidence of the bear's salmon feast. Steve Engel, one of the naturalists, made a plaster of paris impression of one of the tracks, and because he had to let it harden (on a rising tide!), retrieving this super specimen turned into a bit of a challenge! Without blinking an eye, he plunged into waist-high water, dunked his head into the icy waters, and retrieved his treasure to share with all during recap. Using our video microscope, we also had an opportunity to take closer looks at the planktonic and intertidal organisms. We watched in amazement as barnacles kicked out their feathery feet to eat as we clapped and sang to the beat of these organisms with the "Inter-tidal Zone" song, written by Steve.
After dinner we made our way into a small inlet, named Kasnyku inlet, just south of Kelp Bay off Chatham Straits. We were thrilled to see the cascading waterfall, perfectly orchestrated to our first muted-pink sky in the west, along with the brightly rising half moon in the east. So all could partake in what nature had to offer, our after dinner presentation was postponed until tomorrow. The intense shades of pinks and grays, was a perfect way to end our remarkable day!
