It's hard to imagine that just over a week ago our fine ship had left the bustling port city of Seattle, Washington and after seven days of exploring the coast and cultures of British Columbia, Canada we arrived this morning to the familiar waters of southeast Alaska. For this author it was a very welcome homecoming and for some reason the early morning air and sea felt different. Perhaps it was the knowledge that we'd have the opportunity to share an entire week in Alaska with our guests, adding to this incredible journey we've already experienced or maybe Alaska's grandeur and mystique had already cast its spell on us. Either way, here we are and our first day in Alaska had an awful lot in store for our expedition.
Misty Fjords National Monument ranks very high on the list of Alaskan sights, and that's saying a lot. At over 2 million acres of mostly protected wilderness Misty Fjords offers the quintessential Southeast Alaska experience. As we transited the 100 mile long Behm Canal to begin the day en route to Rudyerd Bay we were greeted by a low arching rainbow and a couple of lounging humpback whales casually feeding and resting near the shore, their blows and gray-black backs lit by the bright sun breaking through the scattered clouds. Later in the morning we approached New Eddystone, a volcanic plug poised mid-channel like an ancient tower, its more resistant rock type having avoided the grinding action of the glacier that once filled this fjord.
Immediately upon entering Rudyerd Bay the scene unfolded before us in dramatic fashion as we rounded every corner. The shear polished granite walls towering over 2,000 feet adjacent to thick rich forested slopes and snowcapped peaks. Rafts of sea ducks, like Harlequin's and Surf Scoters would part ways as we passed and pairs of Marbled Murrelets would dive in tandem while others let out their telltale cries to each other. Our afternoon would spent at the very back of this magnificent fjord where we sent out our fleet of kayaks and inflatable landing craft to explore. With hardly a breath of wind and unlimited nooks and crannies to seek out, each one seemingly harboring a waterfall there was no shortage of splendor to take in.
We headed out late in the afternoon and began to make our way out of Misty Fjords, but before we began the remainder of the transit of Behm Canal we were fortunate to have spotted a lone Alaska Brown bear grazing on the sedges along the shore of Punchbowl Bay. Not a bad way to wrap up our first day in Alaska.
