Brilliant clear skies and mirror smooth waters greeted us at first light. We made our way to Iyoukeen Cove, a long beach tucked along a finger of land jutting from Chichagof Island. The remaining pilings of a dilapidated dock rose in stark clusters at one end of the pebbled beach, a reminder of the gypsum mine that once operated back in the trees. The gentle slope of the shore gave way to a forest filled with the meandering trails of bears. Innumerable coastal brown bears have walked these paths leading to a nearby salmon spawning stream. In the serene morning it was easy to imagine a lone bear walking the trails, the tread of its large paws inaudible above the melodic calls of a hermit thrush.
The perfectly calm waters beckoned many of us, and bright yellow kayaks soon filled the cove. In the dropping tide, barnacles and mussels became exposed to air and large sea stars and sea cucumbers became visible through the still green water. Below the surface the broad blades of kelp hid vibrant sea slugs and crab that scuttled away into shadows.
The afternoon winds drove the clouds into fantastic lines and ruffled the expanse of Chatham Strait. Humpback whales broke the choppy waters with tall plumes of breath as calves followed their feeding mothers. The weather was perfect for spending sunny hours on the bow watching or learning about the lives of Alaskan bears.
By evening the high overcast so common to Southeast Alaska made its appearance. The seas silvered as Chatham Strait met Frederick Sound. Keeping pace with fishing vessels and barges, we continue south towards our next adventures.
