Traveling aboard the Sea Lion, we are fortunate indeed to cruise through the rich and varied waters of Southeast Alaska. In the past five days we've covered over 600 miles of marine waterways and have seen a plethora of wonderful sightings from the bow of the ship. Today our sightings included rafts of otters, humpback whales, harbor seals and harbor porpoises, parasitic jaegers, and phalaropes. Yet, it is when we go ashore that we come in closest contact with the environment, which now surrounds us. It is on the land, where we are no longer surrounded by the comfort of shipboard life, that we are confronted by the reality that there are things in life more complex, bigger, and more naturally powerful than we are.
This morning, the forest and waters of Fox Creek (northern Chichagof Island) was the stage upon which we stepped. Here, a performance, begun millions of years ago, was being acted out all around us. The cast of characters included a broad spectrum of species too numerous to mention and, unlike a play on Broadway, the scenery itself is an active participant and plays an integral part in the whole drama.
Today the thousands of pink salmon, struggling up the shallow waters of the creek to spawn, took center stage. Completing a role initiated several years ago, the salmon were not only here to spawn, but to enrich the surrounding forest as well with massive amounts of nutrients they brought back with them from the sea. Gulls and eagles feasted on their carcasses, maggots swarmed over decomposing flesh - soon to be food themselves - and evidence of bears gorging themselves on fish heads and bellies was all about. Though the bears were not seen directly, their presence could be felt. Age-old bear tracks from repeated passages gave us pause to reflect.
We were visitors on this tiny corner of the world's stage. We must ask ourselves, what role do we play in this unfolding story of life on earth? The story is not finished. Our role is still being defined. Let us hope and pray we will learn to play a more aware, caring, and positive role.
This morning, the forest and waters of Fox Creek (northern Chichagof Island) was the stage upon which we stepped. Here, a performance, begun millions of years ago, was being acted out all around us. The cast of characters included a broad spectrum of species too numerous to mention and, unlike a play on Broadway, the scenery itself is an active participant and plays an integral part in the whole drama.
Today the thousands of pink salmon, struggling up the shallow waters of the creek to spawn, took center stage. Completing a role initiated several years ago, the salmon were not only here to spawn, but to enrich the surrounding forest as well with massive amounts of nutrients they brought back with them from the sea. Gulls and eagles feasted on their carcasses, maggots swarmed over decomposing flesh - soon to be food themselves - and evidence of bears gorging themselves on fish heads and bellies was all about. Though the bears were not seen directly, their presence could be felt. Age-old bear tracks from repeated passages gave us pause to reflect.
We were visitors on this tiny corner of the world's stage. We must ask ourselves, what role do we play in this unfolding story of life on earth? The story is not finished. Our role is still being defined. Let us hope and pray we will learn to play a more aware, caring, and positive role.
