Lake Eva on Baranof Island, Southeastern Alaska
Named in honor of the first governor of the Russian America Company, Baranof Island is one of the three major islands in Southeastern Alaska to have only grizzly or brown bear (the others are Admiralty and Chichagoff). Lake Eva is in Hanus Bay, among majestic rainforests of Western Hemlock and Sitka Spruce, and there we followed a small river up to Lake Eva. This stream comes from glacial melt. We had a good morning of kayaking along the river and the coastal regions of the bay, with interesting, quiet moments, with only the calls of bald eagles distracting us! Hiking was very good, and some of us walked further to a small piece of old-growth forest, where we saw enormous Sitka spruce trees.
A large number of plant species were seen, including two species of wild violets, the incredibly poisonous Indian hellebore and three species of wild blueberries. The high-bush cranberries and the wild Pacific crabapples were also in bloom.
As we sailed further on into Peril Straits and Surgius Narrows, we saw the effect the strong tidal currents can have on the channel-marker buoys, almost dragging them underwater! Later in the afternoon we anchored on the western side of the island, at Halleck Island Bay, where we enjoyed short Zodiac cruise.
Named in honor of the first governor of the Russian America Company, Baranof Island is one of the three major islands in Southeastern Alaska to have only grizzly or brown bear (the others are Admiralty and Chichagoff). Lake Eva is in Hanus Bay, among majestic rainforests of Western Hemlock and Sitka Spruce, and there we followed a small river up to Lake Eva. This stream comes from glacial melt. We had a good morning of kayaking along the river and the coastal regions of the bay, with interesting, quiet moments, with only the calls of bald eagles distracting us! Hiking was very good, and some of us walked further to a small piece of old-growth forest, where we saw enormous Sitka spruce trees.
A large number of plant species were seen, including two species of wild violets, the incredibly poisonous Indian hellebore and three species of wild blueberries. The high-bush cranberries and the wild Pacific crabapples were also in bloom.
As we sailed further on into Peril Straits and Surgius Narrows, we saw the effect the strong tidal currents can have on the channel-marker buoys, almost dragging them underwater! Later in the afternoon we anchored on the western side of the island, at Halleck Island Bay, where we enjoyed short Zodiac cruise.
