Pavlov Harbor and Chatham Strait
Southeast Alaska consistently provides exceptional experiences to adventurous visitors. Today was our first day, as we explored the Tongass National Forest and its surrounding waters. Our first landing was Pavlof Harbor, located in Freshwater Bay in Chichagof Island.
Chichagof Island is the “C” of the famous ABC islands. This archipelago is home to the densest population of coastal brown bears, and today we had very special encounters with them. For this morning’s activities, we used our kayaks to explore the shorelines at our own pace. The silence and peace of gliding over the surface allowed us to feel closer to nature. When we first disembarked, the low tide revealed intertidal inhabitants that are not always visible. Dozens of ochre sea stars patiently waited for the tide to rise again. First, kayakers spotted a young brown bear on the shoreline, not too far from them. Later during our hikes through the temperate rain forest, we encountered another bear, maybe the same one the kayakers had seen before.
Most of our forest walks followed trails originally made by bears. They are the same ones they still use day after day. When we are here, we are in their land, guests to their home. When we have a bear encounter, it is very common that we try to avoid the bear as much as the bear tries to avoid us. For this reason, we speak loudly; to let these magnificent creatures know we are here. After checking out two of our groups, the bear simply turned around and headed into the forest.
We spent the afternoon sailing through Chatham Strait, were an incredible amount of nutrients provides millions of creatures with an abundant food source. From zooplankton to the great whales and the birds, everyone is here for the same reason, great feeding opportunities.
Today we witnessed a fantastic spectacle of nature. A group of humpback whales were traveling together, most likely feeding. About eight to ten giants emerged from their mysterious world, well-choreographed, breaking the water’s surface in unison. We had the chance to watch them raise their flukes many times. We even saw a couple full breaches from a playful calf.
It is hard to believe all this happened in just one day, and the first of our journey through Southeast Alaska.
