Pavlof Harbor and Basket Bay
Coastal brown bears check out the local salmon streams often these days, as the annual runs of these important fish are nearing the time when they will re-enter their birth streams to place their eggs in a gravel nest, or redd, and the bears will be able to catch the slow-moving salmon in shallow water. We watched a sub-adult brown bear meander across the beach at the mouth of Pavlof Creek this morning. Not too long before we began our own meander along the stream dotted with wildflowers, into the deep green light of the temperate rainforest, on a trail near the lake to the stunning meadow beyond the beaver lodge. The walks were beautiful in the changing light; the mountains highlighted by low-lying clouds and patches of blue sky.
The tidal range in this area is quite large during this new moon phase of the monthly lunar cycle. With careful planning, we were able to take advantage of the fifteen foot high tide for our afternoon activities in Basket Bay. Some guests chose to explore the hidden fern- draped limestone and marble caves and arches by Zodiac while others moved quietly through the shady narrow passage in kayaks. Either way the views inside this moist secret place were charming and exquisite. Out in the bay, a fisherman from the nearby native town of Angoon was pulling salmon from his gillnet into his small boat and sharing stories of fish caught and others that got away.
Cruising north through Chatham Strait in the calm late afternoon, several blows were spotted in the distance. As we neared the area, we could see a humpback whale cow and her first year calf. From the appearance of bubbles on the surface, we could see that the mother was doing some interesting feeding behavior while her young one frolicked nearby; throwing its tail flukes and then its whole body out of the water and landing with a great splash! What a fortunate experience to see these huge endangered animals at close range in their summer feeding grounds.
