Point Adolphus, George Island and Elfin Cove
Serenity in Southeast Alaska. We could, quite accurately, give this title to our day. We awoke in the midst of humpbacks: graceful creatures, gliding through the tranquil waters. Whale breaths mingled with the morning mist. Flukes, raised in seemingly slow motion, waved an eloquent “good morning.” Filtered light, a hushed stillness, and a peaceful calm made for a textbook beginning to a day in Southeast Alaska.
After breakfast, we cruised past a colony of sea lions basking on the rocks, perhaps exhausted from their morning fishing. In the distance, we caught our first glimpse of sea otters, resting among the kelp. Just before lunch, we came across a lone humpback, rolling about near the shoreline. Slapping its fluke, waving its fins, the young one continued to call attention to itself. A posse of sea lions swam and dove around it, perhaps taunting it. The whale continued the odd behavior in the company of the sea lions, as we looked on in curiosity and awe. Was it distress…or just playful banter amongst sea mammals?
We anchored at George Island, and went ashore for an afternoon of kayaking and hiking. Gliding along the water’s edge, paddlers gained an intimate perspective of the region. Vibrant orange and purple sea stars clung to the rocky shoreline. Eagles flew overhead and pigeon guillemots paddled amongst us.
Hikers tromped through the luscious vegetation of the island, carefree in this bear-free environment. We tracked the creatures that inhabit this island: Sitka black-tailed deer and martens. Longer hikes led us to the top of the island, where an unnatural visitor has made its home for 63 years. The Brigadier, a WWI-era gun, brought to the island in 1942, stands watch over Cross Sound. Brought here to ward off a possible Japanese invasion by defending the entrance into Icy Strait, the gun was never fired. A short, but challenging, hike led us through the forested island, past a few derelict remnants of the battalion’s living quarters, to this obscure bit of American history.
During dinner, the Sea Bird repositioned to the harbor just outside Elfin Cove, a village where boardwalks act as sidewalks and skiffs replace automobiles. With a year-round population of 15, this unique town draws a couple hundred residents in the summer for commercial and sports fishing. Taking advantage of the late summer light, we strolled through town after dinner, visiting the museum and the General Store, winding our way along the boardwalk in this remote, serene setting.
Serenity in Southeast Alaska. We could, quite accurately, give this title to our day. We awoke in the midst of humpbacks: graceful creatures, gliding through the tranquil waters. Whale breaths mingled with the morning mist. Flukes, raised in seemingly slow motion, waved an eloquent “good morning.” Filtered light, a hushed stillness, and a peaceful calm made for a textbook beginning to a day in Southeast Alaska.
After breakfast, we cruised past a colony of sea lions basking on the rocks, perhaps exhausted from their morning fishing. In the distance, we caught our first glimpse of sea otters, resting among the kelp. Just before lunch, we came across a lone humpback, rolling about near the shoreline. Slapping its fluke, waving its fins, the young one continued to call attention to itself. A posse of sea lions swam and dove around it, perhaps taunting it. The whale continued the odd behavior in the company of the sea lions, as we looked on in curiosity and awe. Was it distress…or just playful banter amongst sea mammals?
We anchored at George Island, and went ashore for an afternoon of kayaking and hiking. Gliding along the water’s edge, paddlers gained an intimate perspective of the region. Vibrant orange and purple sea stars clung to the rocky shoreline. Eagles flew overhead and pigeon guillemots paddled amongst us.
Hikers tromped through the luscious vegetation of the island, carefree in this bear-free environment. We tracked the creatures that inhabit this island: Sitka black-tailed deer and martens. Longer hikes led us to the top of the island, where an unnatural visitor has made its home for 63 years. The Brigadier, a WWI-era gun, brought to the island in 1942, stands watch over Cross Sound. Brought here to ward off a possible Japanese invasion by defending the entrance into Icy Strait, the gun was never fired. A short, but challenging, hike led us through the forested island, past a few derelict remnants of the battalion’s living quarters, to this obscure bit of American history.
During dinner, the Sea Bird repositioned to the harbor just outside Elfin Cove, a village where boardwalks act as sidewalks and skiffs replace automobiles. With a year-round population of 15, this unique town draws a couple hundred residents in the summer for commercial and sports fishing. Taking advantage of the late summer light, we strolled through town after dinner, visiting the museum and the General Store, winding our way along the boardwalk in this remote, serene setting.
