We pulled anchor and began to navigate the Sergius Narrows early in the morning as we sailed toward Sitkoh Bay. Utilized by the Tlingit for thousands of years as a place to fish for salmon, Sitkoh Bay was then settled by August Bushman in the early 20th century.
Right before we anchored National Geographic Quest, a brown bear was spotted at the end of the bay. A variety of hikes were offered as well as some Zodiac tours. Several of the groups got to watch a coastal brown bear fish for salmon in a small creek. The long hikers experienced the tidal flats and a few streams, and a few folks decided to learn about the ‘boot sucking mud’ that is a famous part of adventuring in Southeast Alaska. Today was the first experience for many in the Tongass National Rainforest, the largest temperate rainforest on the planet and one of the most intact ecosystems left in the United States.
After dinner, we enjoyed a talk about bears, and whales were spotted in the moonlight. All in all, today was a great way to start our expedition.