Sitkoh Bay and Red Bluff Bay
Today we saw some of the largest and smallest inhabitants of the temperate rain forest. Before breakfast we found a brown bear cruising the shore at the head of the bay. These bears, although the same species as the grizzly bear found in the lower 48, are much bigger. Later from the kayaks and from one of the hikes, we were able to see the reason why brown bears are so big… salmon! It is thought that the high protein salmon diet may be responsible for the change in size. This is the time of year that the salmon and cutthroat trout are moving upstream to their spawning areas. Bald eagles and bears are congregating around the mouth of streams and traveling its shores in search of a meal. We found other bear (and people) foods on our hike too. Thimbleberries and Salmonberries were plentiful for the tasting.
Out on our hikes we began to wonder if perhaps Sitkoh Bay has a magic charm to lure in the banana slugs. There were more banana slugs here than anywhere else we have been. On the east shore of the bay the hikers noted an abundance of light yellow/ nearly white slugs. Just across the water on the west shore, the whitish ones were nowhere to be found and instead greenish-gray and spotted ones were the norm.
After lunch we cruised south in Chatham Strait. With fog filling the strait, we ducked into Kasnyku Bay and Red Bluff Bay for some scenic views and to scan the shore for wildlife. In Red Bluff Bay, Captain Carden gave us a thrill by nosing the Sea Lion to within a few feet of a roaring waterfall. Once again, before we knew it another busy day had come to a beautiful end.
Today we saw some of the largest and smallest inhabitants of the temperate rain forest. Before breakfast we found a brown bear cruising the shore at the head of the bay. These bears, although the same species as the grizzly bear found in the lower 48, are much bigger. Later from the kayaks and from one of the hikes, we were able to see the reason why brown bears are so big… salmon! It is thought that the high protein salmon diet may be responsible for the change in size. This is the time of year that the salmon and cutthroat trout are moving upstream to their spawning areas. Bald eagles and bears are congregating around the mouth of streams and traveling its shores in search of a meal. We found other bear (and people) foods on our hike too. Thimbleberries and Salmonberries were plentiful for the tasting.
Out on our hikes we began to wonder if perhaps Sitkoh Bay has a magic charm to lure in the banana slugs. There were more banana slugs here than anywhere else we have been. On the east shore of the bay the hikers noted an abundance of light yellow/ nearly white slugs. Just across the water on the west shore, the whitish ones were nowhere to be found and instead greenish-gray and spotted ones were the norm.
After lunch we cruised south in Chatham Strait. With fog filling the strait, we ducked into Kasnyku Bay and Red Bluff Bay for some scenic views and to scan the shore for wildlife. In Red Bluff Bay, Captain Carden gave us a thrill by nosing the Sea Lion to within a few feet of a roaring waterfall. Once again, before we knew it another busy day had come to a beautiful end.
