The sun and calm seas greeted us this morning as the early risers in our group mustered on the bow to watch our progress as we moved to our anchorage for the morning activities. The calm sea made it easy to see some of the local residences and a number of sea otters watched our progress though the water. Always a pleasure to watch, the otters, to us, looked comical as they scrubbed their bellies in an effort to keep the fur that they are famous for in good working order. Clean fur is a necessity for a marine mammal that is lacking a good layer of blubber to keep them warm. The otters were not the only critters we watched as we motored, harbor porpoise, harbor seals, and a lone humpback whale all went about their business paying little attention to our movement though the water.
This morning we had two choices for activities, kayaking or hiking. The kayaking would be slightly more adventurous than usual, instead of departing the beach and cruising around the bay at their leisure, the group would all leave from one point of land and head out on a guided excursion along the coast. The hikers as normal had two choices of walks, a long and a shorter hike into the surrounding area.
Fox Creek is a labyrinth of trails covering the forest surrounding Fox Creek itself. It is a wonderful place to explore and learn about bears because there are so many signs of bears and bear activity. We started off along the shoreline and headed into a picturesque pasture of wildflowers separating the woods from the beach. From there, we would be walking on trails created by the bears for the rest of the outing. I think if I were a bear this would be the perfect place to call my home. A beautiful salmon stream, countless berry plants, and a host of other vegetation all of which it seems, are used by the bears for one reason or another. The highlight of the walk was the perennial bear prints found in the woods. The prints are footprints left in the soil by years of use by the bears. Each of the bruins makes sure to walk in the same foot prints of the bear before them. Over time, the prints are deep and permanent and easily discernable by anyone passing by. Why the bears do this is anyone’s guess, but you can’t help but wonder about the many bears who have used this trail for so many years. Their presence speaks to the passage of time that this pace has been influenced by bears.
In the afternoon we boarded our inflatable boats for an expedition landing craft ride in the Inian Islands. The Inian Islands can offer some of the most exciting wildlife viewing in Alaska. Not only is it a beautiful landscape, but the water at the northern end of the Inside Passage can be a tumultuous mix of sea water stirring up nutrients and delicacies from deep beneath the waves, attracting a multitude of wildlife. Where we had flat calm seas this morning, we had white water rafting conditions in the afternoon. Undeterred, by the raging water we ventured forth to view Steller sea lions hauled out on the rocky shore, A sea otter, eating clams in a quiet little bay, and eagles flying in the wind high above our heads. Bracing ourselves against the salty brine, the sea made us work to find our prize, but in the end, it was all worth the effort. We had an adventure to talk about for when we return home. Once again, Alaska had given us a day to remember.
