Today was another beautiful day in Southeast Alaska. Early this morning it was overcast and the calm water of Behm Canal was sporadically punctuated with the skeletons of former trees that created illusions of marine creatures, so we were delighted when the naturalist spotted a Sitka black-tailed deer swimming across the channel! We could only speculate why the deer decided to leave the familiarity of the temperate rainforest in Misty Fjords National Monument for the icy waters of Behm Canal. Understanding reasoning was not necessary for us to marvel at the swimming ability of the long-legged, landlubber, and to appreciate being able to witness the unexpected wonders of the natural world.
There aren’t many shores along the Behm Narrows that aren’t steeply sloped, but we did find one and in that rare, bright green, lush meadow, we saw a massive black bear. Well-fed for this time of year, with a thick, dark black coat, the bear continued to eat while we watched. It was a food source less honorable than most of us would attribute to the likes of a bear.
As we continued to sail Behm Canal we saw in the distance the highly anticipated plumes of mist in the air – the blows of a pair of humpback whales! The whale duo repeated a pattern that consisted of recharging their oxygen supply at the surface through a series of forceful exhales and quick inhales, better known as blows, before disappearing beneath the dark, glassy surface of the water and then lunging out of the water with their mouths open and sealing the fate of their captured fish. Minutes, then hours passed. The shoreline backdrop changed, the sun came out and the wind died down, all while the whales methodically fished the shallow, nearshore waters. We watched and waited for the whales to emerge from their underwater home and enter our realm of view, even if just for a moment.
