Hiking in an old growth forest alongside a stream where salmon spawn and bears feed may be one of nature’s grandest gifts. This morning we anchored in Hanus Bay on the north end of rugged Baranof Island and headed ashore for walks and kayaking. This recently improved forest service trail was a joy for every walker—towering Sitka spruce and western hemlock, a jumble of wind fallen trees, and lots of timber in various stages of decomposition. The understory is rich and complex, with mosses, lichens, and ferns covering every low surface, while blueberry, devil’s club, and false azalea shrubs fill in any open spaces in the middle.
Late morning we weighed anchor and headed south into calm seas and sunshine glinting off snowy mountain peaks. Suddenly a large dorsal fin filled the lounge windows as a male killer whale cruised past National Geographic Sea Bird…! The dining room quickly emptied and we watched a group of whales making their way north. As our intended destination was to the south, after a bit we turned and continued on our way.
Takatz Bay is a narrow steep fjord jaggedly sliced into the east coast of Baranof Island. We took to our small boats there and enjoyed exploring the spectacular scenery of the shallow back bay. Waterfalls fed by snowmelt tumbled down the mountainsides, while tiny white dwarf dogwood flowers dotted the vertical rocks at our eye level. Emerald green grassy knolls invited us to imagine picnicking until we recalled the numbers of brown bears that inhabit this island. All in all, it was a magnificent day spent exploring the wild backcountry in Southeast Alaska. Lucky us.
