Lake Eva and Chatham Strait
During the night the Sea Lion transited Peril Strait, named not for the dangerous sea conditions, but for the unfortunate fate of about 150 Aleut Indians who perished from paralytic shellfish poisoning in 1799 from eating mussels in this area. We passed through safely, and awoke within scenic Saook Bay, the secluded inlet shown in the photo. A Sitka black-tailed deer carefully picked its route through the intertidal flats. Chum salmon schooled just beneath the surface, staging in the shallow bay before starting upstream to spawn, and eagles circled overhead. It was a perfect introduction to Southeast Alaska.
One of the loveliest trails in the vicinity leaves from Hanus Bay, the site of our morning anchorage. Lush ferns, skunk cabbage, and devil’s club lined the path. It paralleled a winding creek that connects a hidden tidal lagoon with Lake Eva, the final destination for long walkers. Along the way we watched sockeye salmon and cutthroat trout mill in a clear pool beneath towering spruce and hemlock trees. The bodies of several salmon were tinted with red, just a hint of the vivid orange-scarlet that will develop as the spawning season progresses. While the hikers tested their rubber boots, kayakers launched from the landing site and skirted the forest margin towards the inner lagoon. Each boat took its own pace, exploring the shallows or investigating wildflowers and bald eagles near the water’s edge.
As the ship exited the bay, whale spouts appeared just ahead. We watched a couple of humpbacks for some time as they breathed several times in succession. Later in the day we approached another individual resting at the surface. It looked like a floating log. This behavior is appropriately called logging. It finally woke up, lifted its flukes, and descended to the depths. These magnificent creatures summer in Southeast Alaska where they fatten on fish and krill, then return to Hawaii for the winter. Before long we too were fattening up, feasting on yummy king crab claws and an array of regional snacks to complement wine tasting in the lounge.
During the night the Sea Lion transited Peril Strait, named not for the dangerous sea conditions, but for the unfortunate fate of about 150 Aleut Indians who perished from paralytic shellfish poisoning in 1799 from eating mussels in this area. We passed through safely, and awoke within scenic Saook Bay, the secluded inlet shown in the photo. A Sitka black-tailed deer carefully picked its route through the intertidal flats. Chum salmon schooled just beneath the surface, staging in the shallow bay before starting upstream to spawn, and eagles circled overhead. It was a perfect introduction to Southeast Alaska.
One of the loveliest trails in the vicinity leaves from Hanus Bay, the site of our morning anchorage. Lush ferns, skunk cabbage, and devil’s club lined the path. It paralleled a winding creek that connects a hidden tidal lagoon with Lake Eva, the final destination for long walkers. Along the way we watched sockeye salmon and cutthroat trout mill in a clear pool beneath towering spruce and hemlock trees. The bodies of several salmon were tinted with red, just a hint of the vivid orange-scarlet that will develop as the spawning season progresses. While the hikers tested their rubber boots, kayakers launched from the landing site and skirted the forest margin towards the inner lagoon. Each boat took its own pace, exploring the shallows or investigating wildflowers and bald eagles near the water’s edge.
As the ship exited the bay, whale spouts appeared just ahead. We watched a couple of humpbacks for some time as they breathed several times in succession. Later in the day we approached another individual resting at the surface. It looked like a floating log. This behavior is appropriately called logging. It finally woke up, lifted its flukes, and descended to the depths. These magnificent creatures summer in Southeast Alaska where they fatten on fish and krill, then return to Hawaii for the winter. Before long we too were fattening up, feasting on yummy king crab claws and an array of regional snacks to complement wine tasting in the lounge.
