Lake Eva, Peril Strait, Baranof Island, Alaska
Wind, rain, more wind and plenty more rain. What else could we need for a final test of our rain gear and spirit of exploration? Our final day in the Inside Passage was both exciting and enlightening. The trails of Lake Eva served as our terrestrial route for exploration of the temperate rainforest. Along the sinuous path through massive spruce and hemlock trees signs of wildlife abound. Fresh and numerous wolf scat, replete with deer fur and bone, remind us of how raw these wild places can be. The soft footfall of a hunting wolf yesterday has given way to the clomp of a rubber boot today.
While guests were utilizing the old-growth forests of Lake Eva as a buffer for the morning deluge, Bosun Ian and I found our own respite from the rain beneath the wind-whipped waves. Donning our dry suits in anticipation for the dive to come, we realize that very few – if any – humans have ever witnessed what we’ll see below. Exploring the undersea realm one fin kick at a time, aerial flurries were a world away from our blue-green haven. The hypnotic pulses of a passing moon jelly distracted us from the camouflaged invertebrates carpeting the substrate below. While filming the goings-on of slow-moving urchins, we were delighted to have three Steller sea lions pay us a visit with graceful loops and fluid turns. Watching these massive predators cut through the water will forever remind me of how alien we are on this ocean planet.
