Lake Eva was the destination for our morning explorations. The tide was incredibly low, so low that a number of sea stars were temporarily left high and dry on the clam and cockle strewn beach. We took the opportunity of a close look to examine their tube feet and admire how charming they looked as temporary haberdashery. Yes, that means we put them on our heads.

The summer is waning here in Southeast Alaska, and the berries are ripening. Our hungry hikers gleaned blueberries, watermelon, and salmon berries from the dewy foliage. With the recent rains, the fungal residents of the forest have been busy popping out mushrooms to facilitate their spore dispersal. The most flamboyant of these was the neon orange chicken-of-the-woods. Looking like brilliant orange cock’s combs stuck on a tree, they visually stopped us in our tracks and we diverted to capture them with our cameras.

The stream alongside the trail is filling with salmon. Pink, red, and chum all come here to spawn. We could see the shadowy outlines of fish gathering in the stream. Upon our return to the beach, we had the opportunity for a little photo-oriented walk. Reflections, landscape, boats, shells, sea stars, and each other all became subjects of great interest as we created memories and gathered images.

For the afternoon, a number of humpback whales were sighted just north of Warm Springs on the eastern coast of Baranof Island. Numerous spouts were followed by massive flukes as whale after whale dove to shadowy depths and potentially an ascidian meal.

We closed our day reflecting off the mirrored waters of Red Bluff Bay, inspired by its magnificent waterfall. We share with you some inspired reflections from our guests.

 

Whale, two poems by Jon Adler, age 16 and Kem Sprawls

Water-dwelling giants

Happily, hungrily meandering

Aquatic mammoths

Lazy, lovable cetaceans

Excitingly majestic

Kestrel

Kindred spirits of the forest

Eagerly eyeing possible prey

Spying through the branches-

Tremendous agility

Racing raptors

Emerging through the clouds

Lilliputian predators

Killer Whale

Black and white dolphin

Gracefully plunging, energetically lifting, waving, fanning

Giant, enormous, full of life

Imagine a giant waterspout gasping for air

Deep diver