Ideal Cove and Petersburg
Getting up early can have its rewards, and today was no exception. Humpback whales spouted ahead of the ship, and before long we were in the midst of them. The whoosh of their blows interrupted the quiet, and the mist lingered in the still air.
Just after breakfast, we landed at Ideal Cove on Mitkof Island. The Zodiacs picked their way through floats that marked crab pots set for Dungeness crabs. Once ashore, we followed a narrow boardwalk that snaked into the forest. Dense cushions of mosses and lichens blanketed the branches of spruce and hemlock trees towering above the mosaic of greenery on the forest floor. Lush ferns and miniature dogwoods lined the trail. The tiny flowers held by the four white, petal-like bracts will later turn into a cluster of reddish-orange berries, hence the name bunchberry.
The fishing community of Petersburg proved to be a perfect stop for the afternoon. Hikers climbed through the woods to a spongy muskeg, or peat bog, to examine an unusual environment where stunted pines and carnivorous sundews make their homes. Float planes taxied out of the busy harbor to transport a number of guests up and across Frederick Sound for an aerial view of the surroundings including the nearby LeConte Glacier. There was also time to wander through town or study the many types of fishing boats moored in their berths. The docks themselves were worth investigating for the amazing array of marine invertebrates that clung to every inch of available space. Creamy plumose anemones looked like fluffy cauliflowers on rust-colored stalks. Sea cucumbers, mussels, barnacles and feather duster worms sifted the water for a meal of plankton. Jellyfish less than an inch in diameter pulsed by, also foraging for food.
Before long it was time for our own dinner. As we left Petersburg behind, we feasted on fresh Dungeness crabs caught by local fishermen in shallow bays, perhaps even at Ideal Cove.
Getting up early can have its rewards, and today was no exception. Humpback whales spouted ahead of the ship, and before long we were in the midst of them. The whoosh of their blows interrupted the quiet, and the mist lingered in the still air.
Just after breakfast, we landed at Ideal Cove on Mitkof Island. The Zodiacs picked their way through floats that marked crab pots set for Dungeness crabs. Once ashore, we followed a narrow boardwalk that snaked into the forest. Dense cushions of mosses and lichens blanketed the branches of spruce and hemlock trees towering above the mosaic of greenery on the forest floor. Lush ferns and miniature dogwoods lined the trail. The tiny flowers held by the four white, petal-like bracts will later turn into a cluster of reddish-orange berries, hence the name bunchberry.
The fishing community of Petersburg proved to be a perfect stop for the afternoon. Hikers climbed through the woods to a spongy muskeg, or peat bog, to examine an unusual environment where stunted pines and carnivorous sundews make their homes. Float planes taxied out of the busy harbor to transport a number of guests up and across Frederick Sound for an aerial view of the surroundings including the nearby LeConte Glacier. There was also time to wander through town or study the many types of fishing boats moored in their berths. The docks themselves were worth investigating for the amazing array of marine invertebrates that clung to every inch of available space. Creamy plumose anemones looked like fluffy cauliflowers on rust-colored stalks. Sea cucumbers, mussels, barnacles and feather duster worms sifted the water for a meal of plankton. Jellyfish less than an inch in diameter pulsed by, also foraging for food.
Before long it was time for our own dinner. As we left Petersburg behind, we feasted on fresh Dungeness crabs caught by local fishermen in shallow bays, perhaps even at Ideal Cove.
