LeConte Bay & Petersburg
Cruising slowly in small boats among massive cerulean shapes grounded near the terminal moraine of LeConte Bar is like dreaming in blue. We floated gently through a vast landscape consisting of green water filled with artfully carved azure ice. Low clouds softened the outlines of the forested ridges around us adding to the surreal quality of the beauty around us. The round large-eyed heads of curious harbor seals occasionally popped to the surface, and over it all we heard the marbled murrelets' plaintive call.
Afternoon found us exploring Petersburg, a Norwegian fishing settlement on the southeastern edge of Frederick Sound, by air and by land. Flight seers boarded helicopters and float planes for a stunning overview of the nearby glaciers while several groups of hikers crossed Wrangell Narrows and walked the boardwalk trails through the forest and the special bog blanket habitat. Muskeg or peatland is an area of poor drainage, small ponds, and acidic partially decomposed plant materials that makes up about 10% of the Tongass National Forest. It is characterized by specialized plants like the round leaved sundew, a carnivorous plant that gains extra nutrients by digesting small insects. Most everyone checked out this charming Alaskan town by foot or bicycle and many did their part to boost the local economy.
We capped this glorious day by feasting on freshly caught local Dungeness crab as we headed northwest into the misty reaches of Frederick Sound, dreaming of adventures still to come.
Cruising slowly in small boats among massive cerulean shapes grounded near the terminal moraine of LeConte Bar is like dreaming in blue. We floated gently through a vast landscape consisting of green water filled with artfully carved azure ice. Low clouds softened the outlines of the forested ridges around us adding to the surreal quality of the beauty around us. The round large-eyed heads of curious harbor seals occasionally popped to the surface, and over it all we heard the marbled murrelets' plaintive call.
Afternoon found us exploring Petersburg, a Norwegian fishing settlement on the southeastern edge of Frederick Sound, by air and by land. Flight seers boarded helicopters and float planes for a stunning overview of the nearby glaciers while several groups of hikers crossed Wrangell Narrows and walked the boardwalk trails through the forest and the special bog blanket habitat. Muskeg or peatland is an area of poor drainage, small ponds, and acidic partially decomposed plant materials that makes up about 10% of the Tongass National Forest. It is characterized by specialized plants like the round leaved sundew, a carnivorous plant that gains extra nutrients by digesting small insects. Most everyone checked out this charming Alaskan town by foot or bicycle and many did their part to boost the local economy.
We capped this glorious day by feasting on freshly caught local Dungeness crab as we headed northwest into the misty reaches of Frederick Sound, dreaming of adventures still to come.
