Ideal Cove and Petersburg
This morning we went out for our first hike deep into the Alaskan Temperate Rainforest. The Sea Lion was anchored just off Ideal Cove near a Forest Service trailhead, and we left the ship in our varying groups of long, medium, and short hike options. After a short scramble over the rocks at the landing, we entered the forest on a boardwalk trail that snaked through the dense undergrowth. The forest in Southeast Alaska is dominated by Sitka spruce and western hemlock, and we became familiar with the difference between the two (be careful when you shake hands with a Sitka spruce!). The trail led up to a series of lakes and on our way we had to be careful not to step on any of the numerous banana slugs that were moving slowly along the boards. Just over a mile from the trailhead the forest thinned out, and gave way to a beautiful view of an inland lake that was full of water lilies. Soon we had to turn around and head back to the ship where we were treated to a talk by our historian, Carlos Schwantes, about Alaska’s interesting history.
In the afternoon we approached Petersburg, and on the way to the dock we could see and smell what drives this small community: fish. We passed the local canneries and the numerous fishing vessels that were berthed in the harbor. Sea Lion tied up along the dock for our afternoon visit. Petersburg has a strong Norwegian heritage that was evident as we walked into town past the Sons of Norway Hall with its Viking boat statue. A bit of shopping, a cup of coffee, and a visit to one of the hardware stores filled the afternoon. There were walks to a nearby muskeg that were highlighted by finding some of the interesting plants that have adapted to live in the muskeg’s wet, anoxic environment. Just before our Dungeness crab feast, a local fisherwoman, Becky Knight, came onboard and told us a little about her life in Petersburg and answered many questions about the salmon industry. During dinner we cast off and headed north for tomorrow’s adventure.
This morning we went out for our first hike deep into the Alaskan Temperate Rainforest. The Sea Lion was anchored just off Ideal Cove near a Forest Service trailhead, and we left the ship in our varying groups of long, medium, and short hike options. After a short scramble over the rocks at the landing, we entered the forest on a boardwalk trail that snaked through the dense undergrowth. The forest in Southeast Alaska is dominated by Sitka spruce and western hemlock, and we became familiar with the difference between the two (be careful when you shake hands with a Sitka spruce!). The trail led up to a series of lakes and on our way we had to be careful not to step on any of the numerous banana slugs that were moving slowly along the boards. Just over a mile from the trailhead the forest thinned out, and gave way to a beautiful view of an inland lake that was full of water lilies. Soon we had to turn around and head back to the ship where we were treated to a talk by our historian, Carlos Schwantes, about Alaska’s interesting history.
In the afternoon we approached Petersburg, and on the way to the dock we could see and smell what drives this small community: fish. We passed the local canneries and the numerous fishing vessels that were berthed in the harbor. Sea Lion tied up along the dock for our afternoon visit. Petersburg has a strong Norwegian heritage that was evident as we walked into town past the Sons of Norway Hall with its Viking boat statue. A bit of shopping, a cup of coffee, and a visit to one of the hardware stores filled the afternoon. There were walks to a nearby muskeg that were highlighted by finding some of the interesting plants that have adapted to live in the muskeg’s wet, anoxic environment. Just before our Dungeness crab feast, a local fisherwoman, Becky Knight, came onboard and told us a little about her life in Petersburg and answered many questions about the salmon industry. During dinner we cast off and headed north for tomorrow’s adventure.
