Chatham Strait, Gut Bay and Kelp Bay
Walking noisily through the deep grassy wildflower meadow, we are following the tracks of a young brown bear. Just a half an hour earlier, we watched this beautiful dark- chocolate bear from the decks of the National Geographic Sea Bird. Like the bear, we gaze longingly into the river, hoping to see a fish. Like the bear, we are drawn irresistibly into the thickets to taste the sweet, red, juicy salmonberries warmed by the sun. This was a perfect dream of a Southeast Alaskan afternoon spent in the splendor of pristine wilderness and in the company of coastal brown bears. Magenta spikes of fireweed are highlighted against the snow patches high above us; swathes of bright green alders covering avalanche chutes alternate with the darker green of Sitka spruce. Just in front of the group, something smaller and very special hopped onto the boggy trail! A fat and rather docile boreal toad; one of only three amphibians native to this area allowed us a few photographs of its charming grin. I think today we would all agree that the South Arm of Kelp Bay on rugged Baranof Island is…enchanting.
Now is the time for the annual salmon run and the bears are waiting for the first fish to begin their age old journey up hundreds of Southeast Alaska’s streams and rivers. Up and down the coast, millions of salmon will spawn and die. Thousands of animals will sustain themselves with this yearly feast.
Sailing out of dense fog this morning we found ourselves near the beautiful mountainous southern end of Baranof Island. We visited the narrow fiord called Gut Bay where waterfalls drew frothy white streaks down the forested rock walls. Later we passed a long line of purse seiners…. there is an opening for pink salmon and like the bears, many fishermen are out here waiting for the season to begin. Near lunchtime, as we began the turn into Kelp Bay, large splashes in the distance indicated the presence of breaching Humpback whales. These great animals are here for feeding in the rich sub-arctic waters too, though their diets call for smaller prey than salmon. Humpback whales spend their Southeast Alaskan summers feeding on small schooling fish like herring and capelin as well as krill. It was a thrill to see several whales up close, with the tall white columns of their breath hanging in the still air.
After dinner, near Admiralty Island, amid golden light and a rainbow, humpback whales surrounded the bow, and brought our glorious day to the most beautiful finale.
