Today we explored Icy Strait and Cross Sound. These waterways connect the northern Inside Passage with the open Gulf of Alaska. With every change of tide, currents race in and out, stirring nutrients to the sunlit surface. The result is oceanic productivity rich even by Southeast Alaskan standards. Much of our day was focused on seeing creatures lured in to feast on this bounty.
We began our day watching sea otters in Idaho Inlet. These creatures, superlatively fuzzy and engagingly busy, are thriving in Southeast. Ever hungry, otters feed on a variety of shellfish. Here, most dive to the bottom and dig for clams – not as easy as it sounds!
We thought the world wrought in pearl as the sky merged seamlessly with its reflection. But the white was torn with a gust of spray and a black back. It was a whale, seeming to move with grace yet inexorability.
We moved on to the Inian Islands and were soon out exploring in our small boats. The Inians, at the leading edge of Icy Strait, are home to lots of marine life. We found sea otters diving ‘mid the kelp fronds. We also saw Steller sea lions patrolling the water, gliding by with grace, and reacting to our boats with alternating bluster and timidity. In one area the water was full of ‘lions, swimming around us in squadrons. Nearby a humpback whale steadily patrolled the current line. Elsewhere, some found killer whales! These impressive creatures, though common on the Northwest Coast, are unpredictable, so every sighting is a lucky one. A few of us enjoyed strikingly close views of these beautiful – though sometimes imposing – sea mammals. Rich waters here provide food for land mammals as well. Returning to the ship, some of us found a brown bear feeding on the beach. Bears are abundant on huge Chichagof Island, but none of us had ever seen a bear on the Inians.
After lunch we stopped at George Island. Though isolated, this tiny island once literally hummed with activity. During World War II, a large gun was placed here to guard the entrance to Icy Strait. Many of us walked to the gun, passing old buildings and rusting remains of life at this remote outpost. Others used kayaks to explore George’s coastline. The water was beautifully clear, so we could see sinuous strands of kelp rising from the depths, as if we were eagles over rainforest.
The sea was so calm that we tried something new. Venturing far out into Icy Strait, we turned south into Lisianski Strait. This was a first for almost everyone aboard. Halfway down Lisianski is the town of Pelican. This fishing town is built wholly on pilings, and “main street” is a wide boardwalk. After dinner we went into town to visit Rosie’s Bar for a revealing look at the underside of local life. We were all newcomers, but Rosie was not behind in offering us hospitality.
Icy Strait is a wild place, culturally and biologically, and today we enjoyed many surprising sightings in this extraordinary part of the world.
