Between sightings of plastic flamingoes in trees and presentations by flamboyant whale researchers, we perused Peril Strait on our way to Southeast Alaska's oceanfront town of Sitka. The snaking cut between Baranof and Chichagof Islands is dubiously named not for its famous narrow passages and surging currents, but for a history of tainted blue mussels.
After a mesmerizing morning wakeup of humpback whales off Admiralty Island's native Tlingit village of Angoon, we rendezvoused with the principal investigator for the Alaska Whale Foundation. In an engaging manner, we learned of the fine work being done to help understand and protect the endangered humpbacks of the area.
The imprint of sloping forest, shoreline, intertidal zone and fjord was reinforced as we traversed Peril Strait. We challenged now-expert wildlife spotters to find the plastic pink flamingoes that a quirky local had hidden up in the trees. It's unlikely the prankster realized that geologic Southeast Alaska was built up by the rafting of many terranes that originated in the subtropics where flamingos flourish.
The true reward for those called out to the bow for the translocated pink decoys was a great brown grizzly bear spotted moments later grazing along shore. The large muscular hump on its nape helped create a profile reminiscent of a plains buffalo. We passed otters, seals and eagles and bucked a surging five-knot current at Sergius Narrows created by heavenly gravitation.
Swarming salmon mustered in shallow water waiting the rising tide to run streams to spawn. We rode kayaks amongst the schools, some salmon nearly jumping into our boats. Usually reclusive harbor porpoises startled us as they forcefully broke the flat surface nearby as we paddled. And those great symbols of a vast land, bald eagles, perched in moss-coated branches, staccato-whistled, and pursued fish as we looked on. So often and so rightly called 'majestic', these flighted icons will remain but one indelible impression of a week spent exploring coastal Alaska.
After a mesmerizing morning wakeup of humpback whales off Admiralty Island's native Tlingit village of Angoon, we rendezvoused with the principal investigator for the Alaska Whale Foundation. In an engaging manner, we learned of the fine work being done to help understand and protect the endangered humpbacks of the area.
The imprint of sloping forest, shoreline, intertidal zone and fjord was reinforced as we traversed Peril Strait. We challenged now-expert wildlife spotters to find the plastic pink flamingoes that a quirky local had hidden up in the trees. It's unlikely the prankster realized that geologic Southeast Alaska was built up by the rafting of many terranes that originated in the subtropics where flamingos flourish.
The true reward for those called out to the bow for the translocated pink decoys was a great brown grizzly bear spotted moments later grazing along shore. The large muscular hump on its nape helped create a profile reminiscent of a plains buffalo. We passed otters, seals and eagles and bucked a surging five-knot current at Sergius Narrows created by heavenly gravitation.
Swarming salmon mustered in shallow water waiting the rising tide to run streams to spawn. We rode kayaks amongst the schools, some salmon nearly jumping into our boats. Usually reclusive harbor porpoises startled us as they forcefully broke the flat surface nearby as we paddled. And those great symbols of a vast land, bald eagles, perched in moss-coated branches, staccato-whistled, and pursued fish as we looked on. So often and so rightly called 'majestic', these flighted icons will remain but one indelible impression of a week spent exploring coastal Alaska.
