Lake Eva
With the mist there is magic and a peaceful stillness on the water. The rain came and went this morning as we explored the beauty of the area around Lake Eva. Following the path of the stream, many took the opportunity for a long hike and found themselves in a patch of old growth forest just on the edge of the lake. The immense size of the trees inspired awe and contemplation.
Chum, Pink and Sockeye Salmon made their way upstream, having used their sense of smell to find their way back to the place of their birth. The females will choose a mate and may fight over the location to lay their eggs. Once chosen, she scrapes out a ‘redd’ and can lay over 4,000 eggs there. The male then deposits his sperm over the area and the female covers the eggs. The two parents will only live a week or two more. Next April the young alevin will begin to venture out at night and grow into small fry. By the time they have become smolts, they are ready to venture out to sea and begin the cycle again. Kayakers had a chance to paddle with harbor seals in the shallow waters beneath the falls while two bald eagles glided over the water repeatedly.
We spent the afternoon between Admiralty and Baranof Islands, searching for wildlife. Naturalist, Justin Hofman went for a drive and shared some amazing video footage during recap. We were able to witness the productivity of the underwater world, complete with Snail Fish, Crescent Gunnel Fish and Quillback Rockfish. However, two Giant Pacific Octopus and a King Crab entangled in a massive Sea Star were the highlight of the show. We entered Red Bluff Bay in the evening for a picturesque dinner cruise. Several bears, and even two cubs, popped in and out of the forest edge to give us yet one more vision to take into our dreams.
