Happy Canada Day!
It was foggy when we woke up this morning, which gave the rocky bay a quiet and heavy feeling. Before breakfast, the staff scouted the shore and found some thermal springs while guests on board began spotting bears along the beach.
By the time breakfast was over, the fog was lifting, we had several bears in sight, and our expedition leader Brent had prepared a route over the rocks to the beachside hot springs: a good start!
We spent the morning Zodiac cruising as the weather continued to improve. More sun, less wind, and bears on the beach for every group to watch. Meanwhile, a few intrepid guests bathed in the natural hot water springs – the equivalent of hot tide pools.
Our hotel team prepared a very special lunch today to celebrate Canada Day. The dining room was decorated with flags, and the Canada-inspired dishes included Nanaimo bars and a cake with Canada flag icing.
Our afternoon at the Chazhma River began when we met Nina and Sasha, the two rangers stationed here. They live in a small cabin with solar power and a diesel generator. From here, they patrol the park and gather ecological information to share with researchers. They warmly welcomed us, and Nina even joined the long hikers to explore around the nearby river.
The fields of flowers here were extraordinary. The nearby hot springs warm the ground and help to provide an unusual habitat that gives this entire area a lush garden feeling. Every group had an area to explore.
We arrived to recap full of chatter and energy after another beautiful day here in Kamchatka.
