After spending the previous day in Ketchikan and steaming toward Rudyard Bay in Misty Fjords, I knew that the heaving and rolling that woke us at 03:00 had to be from a brisk southerly hammering its way north through the Dixon Entrance. As we would soon veer north ourselves, it seemed appropriate to just turn the page of a good book and snuggle a bit deeper into the covers. By daybreak, we were well up the Behm Canal, heading towards Rudyard Bay for our morning’s activities.
Once inside the fjord, the winds abated, but the rain was a bit more persistent. Nonetheless, staff, guests, and crew were committed to making our plans a reality. We dropped anchor in God’s Pocket just a bit after 07:30. While breakfast was underway, Zodiacs, kayaks, and standup paddleboards were made ready for our morning activities. The rain came down in sheets as we wrapped ourselves in layers of fleece, down, and rubber. Then, as if in response to some clarion call, it stopped. Low, scudding clouds gave way to higher, thinner clouds, and we began our tours right on schedule!
The rain had been just enough to turn the waterfalls in this misty corner of the world to a full torrent after the minimal trickle of last week’s drought. This magnificent little corner of Alaska was transformed into the magical place we have come to expect.
Over the course of the morning, the rain returned just a bit, and we were lucky enough to spot bears, seals and their pups, minks, dipper birds, thrushes, and eagles. As I brought my last group of guests back to the stern of National Geographic Sea Lion, I realized how fortunate we are to have so many guests that know how to have fun in the rain! A true indicator of the quality of our intrepid travelers!
