The weather map said it all. A deep depression some 400 nautical miles to the west of the hand-drawn arrow with its 'we are here' label left no doubt about what to expect. The rain we woke up to was not just a morning shower. This was the real thing, a very convincing reminder of why the Tongass National Forest is classified as a temperate rain forest. But we were ready for such days, and there was no lack of spirit and enthusiasm as the day unfolded. Already before breakfast a pod of Harbor Porpoises entertained us with some wonderful displays of their fishing strategy when tackling a herring ball. In the still water of Dundas Bay the dorsal fin of a porpoise sliced through the surface as the animal zeroed in on the clearly visible area where the young herring crowded together just under the surface. Then at full speed the porpoise shot through the edge of the herring ball, in a nearly full circle clockwise arc, both driving the fish into the center of the ball, and scooping up a mouthful of fry. In the center of the ball, the fish had one escape route only, up. And up they went, for a brief moment a thousand small, panicking fishes seemed to be dancing above the surface.
After lunch the weather could not keep us on board, and the gray day lit up as the Zodiacs with guests, naturalists and crew in brightly colored rainwear and life jackets set off for a shore excursion. After several days of seeing the beauty of southeastern Alaska under clear skies, everyone agreed that this new Alaska, somber, gray, and moody, had a different but equally overwhelming beauty. The headlands and hills in all directions were receding in various shades of gray until they drifted off into fog banks and curtains of rain. Wisps of low hanging cloud added depth to the contours of the hills, most of which reached well into the clouds racing overhead.
We landed on the edge of a meadow, and from there we hiked through fields of flowers and dripping forests of majestic Sitka Spruce. We followed well-trodden bear trails, marked with bark-stripped trees, and felt ourselves becoming part of the rainforest. Except for brief explanations of some natural phenomena we discovered, we hiked in silence as our individual thoughts were captured by the mood of the forest. Only when we came to the end of this shared invigorating experience, and on our way back to the Sea Bird, did we realize that we were wet and cold. Back on board, after a shower and with a hot drink in hand we all agreed, it was another great day.
