The prickly tops of Sitka spruce and hemlock held wisps of fog hostage this morning as we gently cruised through glassy, green waters in Frederick Sound. Up ahead crashing, fresh water lured us into Thomas Sound. The white color streaming over black rocks stood in stark contrast against the backdrop of dark greens and grays.
Not long after dropping anchor and a fresh breakfast, explorers took to the land for a hike up Cascade Creek trail. All efforts were rewarded with time to revel in spectacular views of the waterfall, all the while surround by the smells and sounds only an old growth forest can produce.
Afternoon presentations engaged everyone in discussions about forest ecology with Jeff Campbell followed by the opportunity to view plankton samples under a dissecting microscope. Before we knew it, lunch had finished and we were casting our lines to the dock at the commercial fishing town of Petersburg. Everything is connected to the fishing here. The harbor is full of commercial fishing vessels (600 boats call this port home) and seems to serve as the beating heart to this Norwegian town. Many visited the hardware store and peered into the many shops selling art. The streets are decorated with symbols from the wild, including black bear, halibut, eagles, and flecks of blue glass embedded in the sidewalk.
Dock walks oriented guests to the major fisheries in Alaska, including longliners, seiners, trollers, crabbers, and gillnetters. While other walks took the sure-footed over the muskegs via boardwalks in the sporadic rain and mist. Today was a beautiful day and so full of culture, nature, and an eagerness to learn.
As evening recap came to a close, everyone dawned their crab eating napkins and grasped their shell crackers and knives. Dungeness crab was served all around, accompanied by smiles, laughter, and melted butter.
