Sitkoh Bay, Chichagof Island and Lake Eva, Baranof Island
Slipping into the calm waters of Sitkoh Bay we started scouting for Alaskan wildlife. When low tide exposes the shoreline, the dining room table is set for a brown bear to come out, snack a little on some intertidal invertebrates and allow us to observe them from our ship vantage point, but that is not what met our sleepy eyes this morning, it was the whales.
Two humpback whales swam nearly silent, save for the explosions of their breaths as they lunge-fed along the shoreline. They seemed to be impossibly close to land, was that safe and prudent? Apparently, the answer was yes. We followed this pair up one side of the bay and as the water shallowed near the terminal meadow, the whales crossed sides and worked the opposite edge for their morning meal. This inspired, Anna Kleewein, age 7 to write her Haiku:
I like seeing whales
Blowing out of their blow hole
Looks like a fountain.
Lake Eva, our first walk in a temperate rain forest and a hydrating experience as well. The pitter patter of raindrops seemed to cease as we entered the protection of the spruce and hemlock canopy. We found bear sign, deer tracks, a mink track, a deer skull and salmon in the stream leading up to Lake Eva. Katy Wolhaupter, age 9 found her inspiration in the forest:
Tongass Rainforest
Hiking on the pretty trail
I saw a slug there.
We took to the kayaks as well, paddling about the ever-shallowing lagoon while eagles chirped, salmon jumped and the low clouds and continuing light rain reminded us we are in rainforest. This is where Brian Wolhaupter, age 11 found his inspiration:
Kayaking is fun
They bobbed in the cold ocean
As I paddled on.
The day ended with cheesecake and whales. Most of our time was spent drifting in the water as the whales fed all around us. Then the bubbles rose to the surface and a single whale poked its tubercled head out of the water. A singular whale was bubble-net feeding. We cheered it on, named it “Freckles” for its polka-dot pattern of barnacle scars on the underside of its flukes and simply enjoyed the awesomeness of being incredibly close to a wild creature, a close proximity by its own choice. What an inspiring end to the day.
