Chatham Strait and Pavlof Harbor
Last evening, under a beautiful blue sky, the National Geographic Sea Bird left the picturesque town of Sitka and headed north towards the narrow Peril Strait. We woke up in Chatham Strait, low clouds hanging over the green-forested mountains. Our morning began with a spectacular event. Humpback whales were spotted “bubble net” or cooperative feeding. It was a sight to behold, as several whales lunged upwards, with their gigantic mouths open, attempting to fill them with herring. The naturalists put a hydrophone in the water and we could hear the eerie singing that preceded the whales surfacing. Cameras were clicking rapidly, trying to capture this incredible spectacle.
The wildlife viewing continued as four Sitka black-tailed deer were spotted on the shoreline. And then we were fortunate to observe a robust brown bear eating grass at the edge of the forest. Wow, what a morning!
After lunch we dropped anchor off of Chichagof Island. This small sheltered harbor known as Pavlof Harbor was important to fur traders in the mid-nineteenth century. We had a wide variety of hikes to choose from and the steady drizzle did not dishearten us. Some explored the shoreline getting a nice view of a waterfall. Others took a moderate hike, climbing up a rocky outcrop next to the waterfall, where a fish ladder had been built to assist salmon going upstream to spawn. Some brave souls took a longer hike, bushwhacking through mud, tall grass, picky Devil’s club, and clambering over and under logs. Many also enjoyed exploring by kayak.
Back onboard we stripped off our wet clothes and enjoyed a wine tasting along with some local delicacies followed by a delicious dinner.
