Ideal Cove and Petersburg
Our day was off to a splendid start when killer whales were spotted before breakfast. We neared the whales and got fine views. These were clearly “resident” killer whales that eat mainly king salmon. We saw several females, a young whale, and an adult male with an impressive six-foot dorsal fin.
After breakfast we went ashore at Ideal Cove. The trail here follows a stream through rainforest. Breaks of boggy meadow and water lily-covered ponds provided variety. One group saw a young black bear. Meanwhile, Zodiac cruisers found a pair of humpback whales.
By afternoon we had reached Petersburg. This town is proud of its fishing industry and its Norwegian heritage. For most, the hardware store was the town’s highlight. Some crossed Wrangell Narrows to walk through muskeg. This weird environment is filled with plants not found in Alaska’s forests, such as carnivorous sundews. Others walked the town dock, hearing about various fishing boats and about the marine life growing abundantly on the sides of the floats. And some followed Sharon on a photography walk into town, capturing raindrop-filled flowers and eagle lookouts.
After dinner, we gathered to hear a presentation from Andy Szabo. He spoke of humpback whales and the unique and spectacular bubble-net feeding they practice in Southeast Alaska.
