“Bubble netting whales!” came over the loud speaker at 06:20 this morning. What a way to start your day. We trundled up to the bow to find humpback whales plying the waters around our ship as we drifted through thick fog. We could hear the whales surfacing, breathing, and eventually we were able to get quick glimpses of them as the curtain of fog began to lift.
Once we had our fill of whales, the ship turned south to meet up with Andy Szabo, while headed for the breakfast in the dining room! Andy is a whale researcher working for the Alaska Whale Foundation and is THE authority on humpback whales in this region. He gave a fascinating talk on the very whales we had seen earlier this morning. Just as he finished we received the call again, “Humpbacks on the bow!” Cameras and raincoats in hand, we raced for the bow once again. It was another wonderful sighting and this time we had Andy to interpret. What a day so far.
After a wonderful lunch, our photo instructor Rich gave an excellent presentation on digital photography. This was followed by break-out sessions to talk more about our specific cameras. Then it was off to explore Pavlov Harbor.
We arrived ashore to find the very high tide was up to the tree line and covering the trail. The first groups ashore had to bushwhack through the forest just to find the bear trails. The hikers found a maze of trails through the beautiful, rich and damp forest. A beaver lodge, massive trees, and lush undergrowth were the some of the highlights. Kayakers jumped in their boats and explored the rocky shoreline. “Bear at the falls.” Thank goodness for the radios. The kayaks and all of the groups gathered along the river’s edge or in the forest to see the bear. Then another came out of the woods, and eventually there were three bears at the river looking for fresh salmon. The rain had stopped, salmon were jumping in the falls, bears were feeding in the river, and we were right in the thick of it. This was Southeast Alaska in its entire splendor. What an incredible day!
Back on board, our hotel manager Anna-Marie announced that there were “Tastes of Alaska” in the lounge. Once we dried off, we gathered in the lounge to explore the various local offerings. Who knew that kelp would taste so good?!
Our first recap was an energetic affair with lots of great questions and so much to talk about from this extraordinary day. During recap, our undersea specialist Colin and his dive buddy, Chief Mate Billy, went for a dive to explore the underwater world of Pavlov Harbor. We can’t wait to see the footage from their dive.
After a festive dinner, people soon headed to their cabins to download their images from the day and to get a good night’s sleep. It was a wonderful and exciting day, but we know there is much more in store for us in the days ahead. What a fantastic start to our adventure in Southeast Alaska!
