Kelp Bay and Chatham Strait
This morning we woke up sailing through the mirror-calm waters of Kelp Bay. This majestic bay is located at the northeast corner of Baranof Island. Just before breakfast, the National Geographic Sea Lion anchored near the shore of Pond Island. This relatively small island is located at the mouth of Kelp Bay and very close to Baranof Island. Baranof is one of the famous “ABC” islands, which are known for their healthy population of coastal brown bears. Pond Island is not often visited by many people and it is one of those places where we can feel that the last beings to walk those trails before us were mysterious totemic forest creatures.
The walks were full of surprises. At the very beginning of our landing, we noticed that the full moon had produced extreme tides. The low tide exposed myriads of marine invertebrates, as if an omnipotent hand had lifted the rock under which all of them found refuge. Different anemones, sea stars, crabs, mussels and barnacles were easily seen today, as we got ready to begin our morning activities.
Our first steps into the old growth forest revealed the softness of the ground. Almost every available surface is covered with living mosses and some lichens. We saw some evidence of brown bear and Sitka black-tail deer activity. As the secrets of this wild landscape were gradually revealed to us, we could understand the intimate connections and the mechanisms through which Mother Nature has managed to create such a special biome; the temperate rain forest.
The shorelines of Pond Island are rich in life, and exploring by kayak and Zodiac was a wonderful experience. The low tide attracted minks to the defenseless creatures, which were transported by these predators into the forest to be consumed. Bald eagles and harbor seals were often seen while we traveled over the calm waters of Kelp Bay.
We picked up the hook and were underway to Chatham Strait. While we sailed north, we scanned the calm waters in search for cetaceans. Occasional pods of Dall’s porpoises joined us to bow ride. These small and robust porpoises reassemble miniature orcas, and they happen to be amongst the champion speed swimmers of all marine mammals. The waters of Southeast Alaska are a rich feeding ground for humpback whales. Some blows could be seen in the distance. We took a closer look at several individuals and groups of these leviathans. At a distance we could see mothers with their calves, and as we approached towards Tenakee Inlet, we could see at least six of these magnificent creatures feeding around us.
The time for recap arrived. After a wonderful day we were anxious to see the underwater video that our undersea specialists had prepared for us. Cocktails in hand and enjoying pleasant company, we could all explore the cold undersea world of Southeast Alaska.
