Fishing town of Petersburg and Cascade creek
As our expedition leader made the wake up call this morning, our trip was experiencing its first Alaska sunshine. A soft mist was gently falling on the waters and land of Southeast Alaska. Slowly we turned out of Frederick Sound and entered the north end of Wrangell Narrows. Peter Buschmann established a community at the turn of the last century in this protected entrance at the north end of Mitkof Island. Petersburg, Alaska, with a population of 3,100 people, is home to one of Southeast Alaska’s largest fishing fleets, processing approximately $22 million worth of seafood a year. As the Sea Bird began her slow approach into the main harbor, those of us on the bow could see most of the slips were empty. July is one of the busiest times of year with many fishing boats heading out into the abundant waters casting their nets ready to recover one of those resources so important to native Alaskans, i.e. salmon. The salmon fishery is alive and well in Southeast Alaska, and the benefits of that fishery could be seen throughout this small community.
Once Captain Kalbach had expertly maneuvered the Sea Bird dockside, our options for the morning began. The soft rain continued to fall as Zodiacs were launched and ferried a small group of intrepid hikers across the narrows for a hike to a bog on Kupreanof Island. Many of us explored the community of Petersburg. Walks to a park where the trees were filled with bald eagles to long runs to views of everything from totem poles to a very elaborate hardware store.
All aboard was just before lunch and slowly the Sea Bird made her way back in Frederick Sound, headed for Thomas Bay and our afternoon anchorage at Cascade Creek. Here, a variety of hikes were offered. A long aerobic hike was offered, leading up a steep trail past the falls over a bridge through old growth forest gaining a good deal of altitude. Many of us chose a hike with less distance, and more exploration of the world that is the temperate rain forest. From the tiniest devil’s matchstick lichen to enormous skunk cabbage leaves to a slime mold to a delicate queen’s cup flower, sending our eyes upward to enormous Sitka spruce and Western Hemlock, we explored this multi tiered forest.
The walk included not just a visual feast, but the sound of rushing water, birds and squirrels and a favorite moment for both young and old - a chance to stand in the mist created by Cascade falls as it poured down to a short river entrance and cast spray up into the trees. Water is one of the most precious components of the temperate rain forest, and briefly, at the beginning and end of our hikes, many of us took a moment to close our eyes, open our hands and let the mist touch our faces, decorate our hair and refresh us with its gift of life.
As our expedition leader made the wake up call this morning, our trip was experiencing its first Alaska sunshine. A soft mist was gently falling on the waters and land of Southeast Alaska. Slowly we turned out of Frederick Sound and entered the north end of Wrangell Narrows. Peter Buschmann established a community at the turn of the last century in this protected entrance at the north end of Mitkof Island. Petersburg, Alaska, with a population of 3,100 people, is home to one of Southeast Alaska’s largest fishing fleets, processing approximately $22 million worth of seafood a year. As the Sea Bird began her slow approach into the main harbor, those of us on the bow could see most of the slips were empty. July is one of the busiest times of year with many fishing boats heading out into the abundant waters casting their nets ready to recover one of those resources so important to native Alaskans, i.e. salmon. The salmon fishery is alive and well in Southeast Alaska, and the benefits of that fishery could be seen throughout this small community.
Once Captain Kalbach had expertly maneuvered the Sea Bird dockside, our options for the morning began. The soft rain continued to fall as Zodiacs were launched and ferried a small group of intrepid hikers across the narrows for a hike to a bog on Kupreanof Island. Many of us explored the community of Petersburg. Walks to a park where the trees were filled with bald eagles to long runs to views of everything from totem poles to a very elaborate hardware store.
All aboard was just before lunch and slowly the Sea Bird made her way back in Frederick Sound, headed for Thomas Bay and our afternoon anchorage at Cascade Creek. Here, a variety of hikes were offered. A long aerobic hike was offered, leading up a steep trail past the falls over a bridge through old growth forest gaining a good deal of altitude. Many of us chose a hike with less distance, and more exploration of the world that is the temperate rain forest. From the tiniest devil’s matchstick lichen to enormous skunk cabbage leaves to a slime mold to a delicate queen’s cup flower, sending our eyes upward to enormous Sitka spruce and Western Hemlock, we explored this multi tiered forest.
The walk included not just a visual feast, but the sound of rushing water, birds and squirrels and a favorite moment for both young and old - a chance to stand in the mist created by Cascade falls as it poured down to a short river entrance and cast spray up into the trees. Water is one of the most precious components of the temperate rain forest, and briefly, at the beginning and end of our hikes, many of us took a moment to close our eyes, open our hands and let the mist touch our faces, decorate our hair and refresh us with its gift of life.
