Pavlof Harbor
On the morning of this last full day we found ourselves in a slightly rain-hazed Pavlof Harbor. Kayaks and Zodiacs were launched soon after breakfast, taking people around the harbor and giving them a water-level view of the bay. Soon these waters will be teeming with the salmon run as the fish follow that ever-mysterious instinct and come back home to spawn, but today they were calm. Well, as calm as early spring run-off rivers can be, I guess. Groups hiked along the water’s edge and up the river, seeing evidence of deer, bear, beaver, and long-lost canneries alike as we made our way inland to the lake.
With the dramatic mountains in the background and the soft green new-growth alders and spruce in the foreground I can’t imagine a more enticing place to spend my time. You can say what you want about beachfront property or fantastic city-night views, but for me, if that beaver lodge right there was on the market, I’d be sold.
Now, one can always read dreary weather on the last day of a trip as a great excuse to bemoan the end of a wonderful week and spend the cruising time in the afternoon holed up with tea and cookies in the lounge, but that’s not the attitude this group took. In fact, I feel like you could say we had the exact opposite reaction. While rain bouncing off of forty degree water doesn’t scream “oh hey, let’s go for a dip,” this group did somehow actually hear the call of the wild in the calm waters of the bay.
Be it so they could simply say they did it, or perhaps on a dare, or maybe just because some other poor soul said “I will if you will,” our morning came to a close with a few daring souls taking the plunge. Braving the wind, rain, and chill these few were able to wrap their towels around themselves, stand tall on shivering legs and report proudly back to the group at large that yes, the assumption was correct, the water was indeed quite cold. Congratulations all you Polar Plungers, I’m honored to be included in your ranks. And remember, while everyone has their own memories, videos, pictures and facts, it’s only you that will be able to take home that strange, bone-deep, unshakable chill.
