Early mornings are not for everyone but when a chance to visit a bear-infested salmon stream is on offer it should not be missed. We approached the 15-foot waterfall that feeds into Pavlof Harbor in silent formation this morning so as not to spook any potential sightings. Once we were close enough to be drifting above schools of pink salmon, with only the screech of gulls and the static of falling water as a soundtrack, we waited. Slowly, cautiously, a female brown bear emerged from the forest followed by her two small cubs. Into the middle of the stream they went, mom quickly pouncing on fish and the youngsters quick to pick up the scraps. For 20 minutes we were non-obtrusive observers into the routine of Alaska’s top land predator. From salmon fighting back to their natal spawning grounds, to mom remembering where to return during this time of year, to her cubs dragging breakfast into the forest where they help trees flourish, we began our last full day in Southeast Alaska with a perfect summary of what makes this place tick.
To complement the concept of “salmon in the trees” we spent the latter part of the morning hiking along bear trails on the Iyoukeen Peninsula. The transition from the bright, rocky beach at our landing site to the dense, silent, cathedral-like atmosphere of the forest is particularly stark here. Elegant stands of Sitka spruce and western hemlock lined our path, filtering down the light to the perfect intensity for photographing the smaller organisms at our feet. Numerous mushroom species, banana slugs, and limitless variations of moss cloaked nearly everything in sight and provided a perfect send-off from Alaska’s temperate rain forest.
From feeding brown bears to feeding humpback whales the charismatic megafauna was on display today. As we headed south en route to Peril Strait, we tagged along as a lone humpback whale was busily feeding on a slurry of krill. Under a bright, warm sun the water shone on their pinkish carapaces as our 40-foot friend made gulping pass after pass through this light aggregation of prey. Some passes were within 30 feet of our bow, offering a perfect anatomy lesson as throat pleats, baleen, rostrum, upper palette, and hair follicles lunged directly at us. For an hour this whale made passes around our ship, bulking up for its migration back to Hawaii.
To round off an incredible day of wildlife we were ushered into our final evening Recap with a visit from a small group of Bigg’s killer whales. Cruising north with apparent purpose, we paced this small pod of five or six individuals until it was time to say goodbye to Alaska, as well as to the friends and shipmates we have shared this remarkable week with.
