It was a shockingly spectacular day of stunning weather! There are not enough adjectives to describe the quality of sunlight bouncing on the waves, the dappled light falling through the forest, the heat of the day. By Alaska standards this was a crazy roasting day, easily going over 70 degrees. The moss was baked to a crisp, and we had to dab on sunscreen and don t-shirts to cope with the heat.
It all began in sunny Scenery Cove, with massive cliffs rising from the water and waterfalls tinkling down from high places. Walkers headed to shore to trek up the steps beside Cascade Creek, a thunderous torrent of whitewater dashing downhill in roaring foam and falls. Beside an especially large fall, sunlight sparkled through thick spray, lending an air of Tolkien-esque mood to the morning. A bridge crossed the stream, providing lovely views from high above the water. Long walkers mucked their way up the side of the creek, struggling through mud and looking for dippers (birds that live alongside the water and sing beautiful songs). Photographers stayed at the lower falls, practicing with their settings and tripods and soaking in the views. Once everyone was aboard we sailed towards Petersburg and enjoyed a talk on sea otters in the lounge.
The afternoon was spent in a variety of wonderful ways – hikers visited the muskeg on Kupreanof Island, learning about the crazy adaptations of bog plants to the acidic waters and nutrient-poor soils (especially enjoying the life and times of the carnivorous insect-eating sundew!). Flightseers took to the skies, flying into the wild blue yonder to see the LeConte Glacier and search for seals and mountain goats from the air. Others wandered the dock to experience the local fishing boats while photographers eagerly snapped away in the picturesque town.
All were aboard for cocktails and recap, and the evening was spent searching for whales.
