This morning we piloted Zodiac rafts up a creek to find out what was there. Two Sitka black tailed deer were immediately spotted feeding in the tall grass just above the tidal zone. There was also a bald eagles nest nearby. Many of these magnificent raptors were seen soaring overhead. As we continued our voyage upstream we could see the dorsal fins and splashes created by Dall's porpoise. The Southeast can have tidal variations of more than 23 feet. With this much water flowing in and out of a narrow inlet such as we were exploring today, many whirlpools and standing waves are created, which attracts these playful creatures.
During lunch the captain moved the Sea Lion to the northern side of Baranoff Island. On the way, humpback flukes could be spotted from the dining room. Everyone interrupted his own meal to catch a glimpse of these massive marine mammals having lunch of their own.
After lunch we went kayaking and hiking near Lake Eva. The kayakers paddled up the stream fed by the lake but came to an impasse created by a waterfall. It is truly mind-boggling how salmon are able to fight their way up year after year. The hikers were able to continue past this point and make it all the way to Lake Eva. Hiking through a temperate rain forest is amazing. The wilderness is very silent except for the sound of an occasional red squirrel or falling limb. We found a Sitka spruce on our hike that took 6 people stretching from fingertip to fingertip to reach all the way around it. That is over 30 feet in circumference! After the hike we were about to board the Sea Lion from the Zodiacs when a bear was spotted on the island we had just come from! A brown bear was milling about on the beach so we sped over to him and idled down the motors to watch. What an incredible adventure!
