LeConte Bay and Petersburg
This morning we awaken just inside LeConte Bay and guess who greeted us again - ‘our’ group of seven orcas! The male of the group has a very distinctive dorsal fin that bends slightly over and is easily identified. The group was feeding and swimming slowly, which provided many opportunities for photos. Unexpectedly one of the orcas did a full breach just off the bow of the ship. It took us all by surprise and no one was able to snap a photo. However, we all have that spectacular image imprinted into our memory; one of the many that only personal experience can acquire. You just have to be there! All of this happened before breakfast and it was difficult to break away; possibly sensing our dilemma, the orcas quietly went on their way.
After breakfast, we got up and personal with the ice on our Zodiacs. Maneuvering through the ice was like touring a Waterford crystal factory with the many exquisite shapes and innumerable shades of blue. A highlight was an eagle landing on an iceberg to watch our ship maneuver through the ice. On our way to Petersburg, we made a brief detour to view a waterfall that fell a least a 1,000 feet down to the sea.
Once in Petersburg we dispersed to numerous activities. We were fortunate to have the morning clouds part to provide brilliant sunshine for our afternoon excursions. Some guests boarded seaplanes and did a tour by air over glaciers and forests around Petersburg. Others went for a walk in town and experienced a real Alaska fishing village. A hike to the Tongass National Forest bog was another option and those who went viewed special plants like the carnivorous sundew and learned to distinguish between the pleasant Labrador tea and the similar but deadly bog rosemary.
While we were out on our excursions, the kitchen staff purchased fresh crab from the docks of Petersburg for an incredible feast! Afterwards we watched the video pre-view of our trip. This was just another spectacular day in southeast Alaska.
This morning we awaken just inside LeConte Bay and guess who greeted us again - ‘our’ group of seven orcas! The male of the group has a very distinctive dorsal fin that bends slightly over and is easily identified. The group was feeding and swimming slowly, which provided many opportunities for photos. Unexpectedly one of the orcas did a full breach just off the bow of the ship. It took us all by surprise and no one was able to snap a photo. However, we all have that spectacular image imprinted into our memory; one of the many that only personal experience can acquire. You just have to be there! All of this happened before breakfast and it was difficult to break away; possibly sensing our dilemma, the orcas quietly went on their way.
After breakfast, we got up and personal with the ice on our Zodiacs. Maneuvering through the ice was like touring a Waterford crystal factory with the many exquisite shapes and innumerable shades of blue. A highlight was an eagle landing on an iceberg to watch our ship maneuver through the ice. On our way to Petersburg, we made a brief detour to view a waterfall that fell a least a 1,000 feet down to the sea.
Once in Petersburg we dispersed to numerous activities. We were fortunate to have the morning clouds part to provide brilliant sunshine for our afternoon excursions. Some guests boarded seaplanes and did a tour by air over glaciers and forests around Petersburg. Others went for a walk in town and experienced a real Alaska fishing village. A hike to the Tongass National Forest bog was another option and those who went viewed special plants like the carnivorous sundew and learned to distinguish between the pleasant Labrador tea and the similar but deadly bog rosemary.
While we were out on our excursions, the kitchen staff purchased fresh crab from the docks of Petersburg for an incredible feast! Afterwards we watched the video pre-view of our trip. This was just another spectacular day in southeast Alaska.
