Guests aboard National Geographic Sea Lion awoke to glassy calm waters this morning; a dreamy landscape that was broken only by the quick breaths and triangular backs of two Dall’s porpoises cruising northward. As the morning fog lifted, everyone loaded into the DIBS for activities ashore at Ideal Cove. Long distance hikers traveled over boggy terrain via boardwalks that winded through patches of skunk cabbage, Sitka spruce, and stunted Lodgepole pine. Yellow pond lilies decorated the surface of the still waters at Hill and Crane Lakes and sundews stretched their sticky tendrils in search of insects in the wind.
Next stop, Petersburg! This small fishing town lured us into its cozy harbor with brightly colored fishing vessels and friendly dogs welcoming us at the dock as we disembarked. Petersburg is home to the largest halibut fishing fleet in Southeast Alaska and supports approximately 600 fishing vessels in pursuit of salmon, halibut, herring, black cod, and crab. Purse seine vessels with their massive piles of nets and power skiffs hanging off their stern provided a small window into the lives of those who spend their lives at sea. Small, family-owned shops line the streets of Petersburg and the locals warmed our hearts with warm smiles and a familiarity that can only be found in a small fishing town. Bike rides, harbor tours, and dock walks provided the perfect platform from which to explore the town that fish built.
As our day came to a close, we had the pleasure of speaking with Becky Knight, a Petersburg local and experienced fisherwoman in Southeast Alaska. With the utmost sincerity, Becky shared with us her experiences raising a family on the sea and efforts to protect the very ecosystems that support her family, Petersburg, and the fishing way of life.
