Bubble-net Feeding Whales at Freshwater Bay
We began our day cruising along the western shore of Admiralty Island. Rather early, we found a whale lunging at the surface with some rather odd “flipper-flying” motions. We continued to look for whales, but, as they seemed rather sparse, we headed across Chatham Strait for Chichagof Island.
At Pavlov harbor we went ashore. The trail here winds along the shore and through the forest to a fine cascade. The falls are a dozen feet high or more, and it is impressive to think of salmon leaping the whole way up. Back in the forest, we passed bear “dining tables” on the way to a large pond. Along its shore we found a handsome beaver lodge. Meanwhile, some were out in Zodiacs. A few were lucky enough to find a brown bear – that ferocious predator – placidly munching on shore-side grass.
Soon many of the younger travelers were taking Zodiac driving lessons – certainly a wild ride. Some of the survivors then readied for another ordeal – the Polar Plunge. Several people, possessing more courage than sense, took a quick – a very quick – dip into Alaska’s decidedly chilly water.
Lunch ended abruptly as whales were sighted. One of several whales was lashing the sea with powerful tail-tossing. Watching these whales, we were thrilled to see a group burst forth from the surface. These were bubble-netters. This behavior is perhaps the most unusual and spectacular of all the baleen whales. In a carefully coordinated set of actions, several whales corral the wiley herring and gobble down whole schools in an incredible group surface lunge. Imagine the terrified herring, pursued and trapped at the silvery surface as huge maws of destruction spread beneath them! It’s a cetological explosion, a cross between Moby Dick and the Fourth of July. Soon all of us were cheering the whales from the bow. Cameras clicked like echolocating bats. And, if that were not enough, killer whales were spotted in the distance!
And at last, we turned south for Peril Strait and our way to Sitka.
