Saook Bay & Sergius Narrows
The dawning of another glorious day and we are all getting ready to put our rain jackets, ponchos, pants and rain hats back in the bottoms of our suitcases unused. If it weren’t for the towering hemlock, the Sitka spruces, and the alders; or the salmonberry, blackberry, huckleberry, blueberry, and bunchberry; or the ferns carpeting each side of the trail we walk; I would not believe that this is truly a rainforest. Only small patches of mud remain as evidence of the rain that’s such a part of life in Southeast Alaska.
We began our morning cruising into Saook Bay, one of the many nooks and crannies of Peril Strait. Exploring in the forests of this bay, ours were the first human footprints in quite a while. However, there were tracks from another large, hairy mammal, the brown bear. It’s always exciting to see evidence of the animals that created the trails we follow. There was also evidence of otters living in the area and, of course, the call of so many birds in the branches above our heads. Later in the morning, from kayaks, we were dwarfed by the grandeur of this place. In the distance we could see towering snow-capped mountains. Tidal flats extended far from the low tide line before reaching the forest beyond. And surrounding it all, the crisp salty water that is such an integral part of the web of life we have come to observe.
Our week came to a relaxing close while we began the last leg of our journey to our final destination. With the sun still in full view, the National Geographic Sea Lion made its way towards Sitka, and through Sergius Narrows. Travel through this part of Peril Strait must be timed carefully because when the tides are ebbing or flooding, it can be a treacherous route. The way is carefully marked with red and green buoys to get us safely through.
As we prepare to say goodbye, the richness of this wild place threatens to bring us back again sometime soon.
