Sitkoh Bay & Hanus Bay
Today marked the halfway point in our week of exploring Southeast Alaska. It seems like we packed a week’s worth of exploring into today alone. Expedition Leader Jackson woke us a bit earlier than usual, his soft voice gently calling us out to the decks. Bears in the meadow! Just at the head of Sitkoh Bay, the Sea Bird slowed to watch several brown bears feeding in the meadow. Two single bears and a sow with at least two cubs were foraging for their morning meal. Soon, we made our own inside to do some foraging at the breakfast buffet.
During breakfast, the Sea Bird anchored and set about lowering the Zodiacs for our day’s first outing. Once on shore we followed an old logging road with the intention of getting in a good, aerobic walk. Instead of a walk, the morning activity was better termed a “slug fest” – a race to see who could count the most banana slugs! 60! 100! 143!! One hundred and forty three banana slugs on one walk! That’s a lot of slime! While making our way back to the pick-up spot on shore, the naturalists took advantage of the exposed, rocky shoreline. An impromptu tide pooling produced “narly and nubby crab claws” and “colorful sea stars sprinkled like Fruit Loops along the beach.”
Our afternoon playground was another protected harbor known as Hanus Bay. At the entrance to the cove, two bald eagles perched on a rock, observing our comings and goings for most of the afternoon. We launched the kayaks and muddied our boots as we explored the sheltered inner cove. As we paddled and hiked, we kept our eyes and ears open for items to add to our daily scavenger hunt list: false lilies of the valley, chocolate lilies, cow parsnip, and the shy maiden were just a few of the flowering plants we spied.
As the afternoon progressed, there was still one more activity planned – one especially for the younger members of the group. Vvrroomm! Zooooom! Sea Bird’s Zodiac driving class was now in session! Under the guidance of the naturalists, the younger travelers learned the basics of maneuvering a Zodiac, and then were given the chance to pilot the craft.
From brown bears to slimy slugs, muddy trails, kicking back in the kayaks and zipping along in the Zodiacs – today was quite a day to be on the Sea Bird in Southeast Alaska!
Today marked the halfway point in our week of exploring Southeast Alaska. It seems like we packed a week’s worth of exploring into today alone. Expedition Leader Jackson woke us a bit earlier than usual, his soft voice gently calling us out to the decks. Bears in the meadow! Just at the head of Sitkoh Bay, the Sea Bird slowed to watch several brown bears feeding in the meadow. Two single bears and a sow with at least two cubs were foraging for their morning meal. Soon, we made our own inside to do some foraging at the breakfast buffet.
During breakfast, the Sea Bird anchored and set about lowering the Zodiacs for our day’s first outing. Once on shore we followed an old logging road with the intention of getting in a good, aerobic walk. Instead of a walk, the morning activity was better termed a “slug fest” – a race to see who could count the most banana slugs! 60! 100! 143!! One hundred and forty three banana slugs on one walk! That’s a lot of slime! While making our way back to the pick-up spot on shore, the naturalists took advantage of the exposed, rocky shoreline. An impromptu tide pooling produced “narly and nubby crab claws” and “colorful sea stars sprinkled like Fruit Loops along the beach.”
Our afternoon playground was another protected harbor known as Hanus Bay. At the entrance to the cove, two bald eagles perched on a rock, observing our comings and goings for most of the afternoon. We launched the kayaks and muddied our boots as we explored the sheltered inner cove. As we paddled and hiked, we kept our eyes and ears open for items to add to our daily scavenger hunt list: false lilies of the valley, chocolate lilies, cow parsnip, and the shy maiden were just a few of the flowering plants we spied.
As the afternoon progressed, there was still one more activity planned – one especially for the younger members of the group. Vvrroomm! Zooooom! Sea Bird’s Zodiac driving class was now in session! Under the guidance of the naturalists, the younger travelers learned the basics of maneuvering a Zodiac, and then were given the chance to pilot the craft.
From brown bears to slimy slugs, muddy trails, kicking back in the kayaks and zipping along in the Zodiacs – today was quite a day to be on the Sea Bird in Southeast Alaska!
