Peril Strait and Pavlof Harbor
It was an absolutely extraordinary day of close encounters with two of Southeast Alaska’s most impressive animals. The morning started with two humpback whales, which soon led us to sighting many more. The next thing we knew we were right smack in the middle of an awesome spectacle of nature. For the next several hours we watched with awe and excitement as 15 humpback whales cooperatively bubble net fed just off the bow of the ship. Fluke after fluke flashed above the water as the group syncopated their dives and swam below a group of ¬herring. The scene unfolding below became apparent to us first with the sighting of a circle of bubbles and gathering of birds, then the humpbacks’ eerie calls broadcasted from our hydrophone, and finally with the breathtaking sight of all these gigantic creatures lunging up out of the water together with their mouths wide open to capture their next mouthful of breakfast. Those of us familiar with this behavior were surprised at the rapid succession of dives. Only the call for our own lunch brought us back inside.
The afternoon was also full of unbelievable encounters, this time at Pavlof Harbor. Several bears appeared on the shore and meandered up to the falls. One bear crossed over the falls and made his way down along the bank of the river right alongside the kayaks and Zodiacs. Later in the afternoon the tide had dropped and now five bears frolicked and fished in the shallow waters at the base of the falls. They seemed completely oblivious to our presence and the photographic opportunities were phenomenal. It was an unforgettable experience.
As we returned to the ship there were again humpbacks bubble net feeding just off our anchor. It doesn’t get much better, or much closer, than our experiences today. It was a fantastic way to finish our week together.
