Our morning began looking for whales in calm waters as we headed for Petersburg, a small fishing town that was once known as the Paris of Alaska. We were somewhat successful as a lone humpback whale gave us intermittent views as it would surface for a blow or two and then resume its activities below the surface.
As always here in Alaska, the scenery was no less than spectacular, and as the landscape around us get closer and closer, we soon found ourselves in Wrangle Narrows. The narrows is a long and extremely narrow channel between Kupreanof Island and the mainland of Southeast Alaska. As we sail, we watch as rafts of sea ducks, flocks of shore birds, and the occasional eagle perched on channel markers we pass along the way. We head below decks for lunch and finish just in time for a host of activities offer for the afternoon.
Bellies full, the first group leaves for flightseeing over LeConte Glacier, and the rest of us participate in dock walks, bog walks, bike riding, or we just head into town on our own for personal exploration of this historic fishing village. The bog walk requires a short boat ride across the channel to a wonderful boardwalk that brings us through a patch of blueberry bushes that unfortunately, are not yet ripe. That’s one way to ensure an on time finish. Our naturalists, noses to the bog, explain the many species of plants found only in this specialized habitat. Among the moss, Labrador tea, false azalea, and bog laurel grow, but it is always the carnivorous sundew that steals the show.
I lead a group of intrepid photographers on a faux photo assignment to document the life of this iconic Alaskan fishing community. We walked the docks where commercial fishermen readied their boats for the start of the upcoming salmon season. Fishermen scraped off the history of last year’s season, weathered into the ships hulls, in order to apply a fresh coat of paint. The gear of last winter’s fisheries no longer on deck, the fishermen prepared their boats for the grandest of all Alaskan fisheries, salmon fishing. We asked questions, joked about the work involved in owning a boat, and wish many a hearty seafarer good luck with the upcoming season. Through it all our cameras clicked away as we recorded life on the docks. We then headed to town to see what other visual stories we could find.
The day ended in one of Lindblad Expeditions most enjoyable traditions—all you can eat crab night. Could you go to Maine without sampling one of their lobsters, travel to Louisiana and not sample a bowl of gumbo? Well then, when in Petersburg, Alaska, Dungeness crab is an absolute must. Completely satiated, we moved from dining room to lounge to hear an informative, entertaining, and firsthand account on Alaskan Fisheries from none other than our own undersea specialist, Paul. A most fitting end to a glorious day.
