Petersburg, Alaska
Our morning transit towards Petersburg was interrupted by an announcement that humpback whales were surrounding the ship. They seemed unconcerned by us and by one another, each one on its own mission. The Sea Lion idled while whales spouted and fluked about us. Several times we were close enough to see right down into the paired blowholes that explosively exhaled, instantaneously inhaled, then sealed up in readiness for another dive.
Low clouds and a light drizzle settled in, but this didn’t dampen our spirits for the afternoon in Petersburg. People scattered in all directions to explore. Some opted for an invigorating loop walk past the outskirts of town, while others headed by Zodiac to neighboring Kupreanof Island for a guided hike to an enchanting muskeg. Mounds of sphagnum moss carpet a fairyland of stunted pines and cedars. Strange, miniature plants manage to survive and even thrive in this soggy and acidic environment. The underlying soil drains poorly, so pools of dark water dot the landscape. Red, paddle-shaped leaves of the carnivorous sundew displayed their glistening hairs that act as sticky snares for unsuspecting insects and spiders.
This authentic fishing town has a distinctly Norwegian flair. The Sons of Norway Hall overlooks the crowded harbor where we tied up, and flowery paintings called rosemaling decorate shutters along the main street. Petersburg is named for Peter Buschmann, who came from Scandinavia around the turn of the century, attracted by the potential for fishing. Today it remains a sheltered haven for the trollers, trawlers, purse seiners, and crab boats that surrounded our ship. We pulled away from the dock and headed for Wrangell Narrows after getting a glimpse into the world of a real working community in Southeast Alaska.
Our morning transit towards Petersburg was interrupted by an announcement that humpback whales were surrounding the ship. They seemed unconcerned by us and by one another, each one on its own mission. The Sea Lion idled while whales spouted and fluked about us. Several times we were close enough to see right down into the paired blowholes that explosively exhaled, instantaneously inhaled, then sealed up in readiness for another dive.
Low clouds and a light drizzle settled in, but this didn’t dampen our spirits for the afternoon in Petersburg. People scattered in all directions to explore. Some opted for an invigorating loop walk past the outskirts of town, while others headed by Zodiac to neighboring Kupreanof Island for a guided hike to an enchanting muskeg. Mounds of sphagnum moss carpet a fairyland of stunted pines and cedars. Strange, miniature plants manage to survive and even thrive in this soggy and acidic environment. The underlying soil drains poorly, so pools of dark water dot the landscape. Red, paddle-shaped leaves of the carnivorous sundew displayed their glistening hairs that act as sticky snares for unsuspecting insects and spiders.
This authentic fishing town has a distinctly Norwegian flair. The Sons of Norway Hall overlooks the crowded harbor where we tied up, and flowery paintings called rosemaling decorate shutters along the main street. Petersburg is named for Peter Buschmann, who came from Scandinavia around the turn of the century, attracted by the potential for fishing. Today it remains a sheltered haven for the trollers, trawlers, purse seiners, and crab boats that surrounded our ship. We pulled away from the dock and headed for Wrangell Narrows after getting a glimpse into the world of a real working community in Southeast Alaska.
