Pavlov Harbor & Chatham Strait
This morning found us in the quiet, mist-covered waters of Pavlov Bay. As we sipped our morning coffee, pink salmon broke the glassy surface of the water while a brown bear lumbered along the algae-strewn shoreline foraging for its breakfast. At one end of the bay, we encountered a small waterfall and some rapids--the perfect destination for those wanting to hone their kayaking skills. Meanwhile others donned their boots and trekked inland for an adventurous scramble up to Pavlov Lake complete with bear scratching posts and prints to track along the way. Later in the morning, Bette Lu Krause treated us to a talk about the spectacular salmon species of the Pacific--the perfect prelude to the purse-seining fishing boats that we encountered later that day.
As we continued down Baranof Island, blue skies and sunshine had everyone out on the deck of the National Geographic Sea Lion, reveling at Kasnyku Falls cascading down the hundred foot sheer walls of this spectacular island. Baranof Island is one of Alaska’s most picturesque islands and in the sunshine, it is just jaw-droppingly spectacular. As we turned down Chatham Strait, our National Geographic expert, Tierney Thys talked about the largest oceanographic project in history--the Census of Marine Life--and one of Southeast Alaska’s more exotic marine visitors, the giant ocean sunfish, Mola mola.
Following dinner, we threaded our way into Red Bluff Bay and glided along its towering cliffs graced with one massive waterfall after another. Salmon, sunshine, waterfalls, sensational mountain scenery--just another day in the paradise of Southeast Alaska!
This morning found us in the quiet, mist-covered waters of Pavlov Bay. As we sipped our morning coffee, pink salmon broke the glassy surface of the water while a brown bear lumbered along the algae-strewn shoreline foraging for its breakfast. At one end of the bay, we encountered a small waterfall and some rapids--the perfect destination for those wanting to hone their kayaking skills. Meanwhile others donned their boots and trekked inland for an adventurous scramble up to Pavlov Lake complete with bear scratching posts and prints to track along the way. Later in the morning, Bette Lu Krause treated us to a talk about the spectacular salmon species of the Pacific--the perfect prelude to the purse-seining fishing boats that we encountered later that day.
As we continued down Baranof Island, blue skies and sunshine had everyone out on the deck of the National Geographic Sea Lion, reveling at Kasnyku Falls cascading down the hundred foot sheer walls of this spectacular island. Baranof Island is one of Alaska’s most picturesque islands and in the sunshine, it is just jaw-droppingly spectacular. As we turned down Chatham Strait, our National Geographic expert, Tierney Thys talked about the largest oceanographic project in history--the Census of Marine Life--and one of Southeast Alaska’s more exotic marine visitors, the giant ocean sunfish, Mola mola.
Following dinner, we threaded our way into Red Bluff Bay and glided along its towering cliffs graced with one massive waterfall after another. Salmon, sunshine, waterfalls, sensational mountain scenery--just another day in the paradise of Southeast Alaska!
