Tag Archives: #ponant

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Alert Bay, Farewell, Le Soléal

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We awoke this morning as our ship sauntered into Alert Bay, a thriving first nation community. Since we are now in Canadian waters, excursions today are via zodiacs, the first time on the cruise (regulations prohibited their use in the US).

We did a 40 minute tour of the bay and caught some bald eagles taking a break as they were fishing for breakfast.

After touring the bay, the zodiacs deposited us in the village. While waiting for the shuttle bus we were able to take in a burial ground. We are both very grateful the expedition guides gave us opportunities to see these communities.

The shuttle took us to the cultural center which was a very moving experience,

I spoke with a volunteer at the cultural center whose relatives were at the school. She was proud of her heritage and the beautiful center that currently stands adjacent to the site of the former school. “My journey will be completed when we build the language school on this very ground. It will be built within two years.”

I had a zodiac all to myself heading back to the ship.

The sunset of our trip.

We are spending two days in Vancouver before flying back to Chicago, but I’ll sign off for now. Thanks for taking the journey.

Moon river, wider than a mile
I’m crossing you in style some day
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
Wherever you’re goin’, I’m goin’ your way
Two drifters, off to see the world
There’s such a lot of world to see
We’re after the same rainbow’s end
Waitin’ ’round the bend
My huckleberry friend
Moon river and me

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Haines/Chilkoot Lake

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Again, we woke to an amazing panorama of Alaska’s mountains and waters.

We cruised until 7:30 AM, when we arrived in Haines, population 1,657 as of the 2020 census.

The main event of the day was exploring Chilkoot Lake. There were an array of expeditions afforded, bus tours, river rafting, and kayaking. I chose the kayaking. After taking the tender to the harbor, we boarded a van for the drive to the lake. I sat shotgun and spotted four Bald Eagles on the short trip. We unloaded near the boat ramp and had our quick safety overview. We were all assigned a “splash skirt” to keep the water out of the kayak and a life vest. The kayaks were tandem, so two to a boat. We were a party of 11, 10 of which were couples, so I was odd man out and assigned to share with the wonderful Erin. She is a junior at Haines High School (mascot: Glacier Bears, colors: White, Green). As she said, “I’ve lived in Haines all my life, but no one is born in Haines. We don’t have health services to deliver a baby, so moms must go to Juneau for their last month of pregnancy until delivery.” She plays volleyball and is the state champion in shotput. Their out-of-town games and meets are quite an ordeal, involving boats, float planes, bunking in classrooms, and sometimes two travel days to reach their competitors. Needless to say, she kept me paddling in the right direction.

One shore of the lake is a sheer mountain drop with glacial waterfalls cascading down. The other shore features some flora and fauna nestled between the lake and more mountains. It was a breathtaking and serene experience.

Here’s our motley crew after our trip around the lake. Everyone survived although some got a little wet.

Oh, and one more glacier to end the day as we cruise throughout the night to land in Kake tomorrow morning.

Fair warning, I might take tomorrow off.

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Elfin Cove and Orcas

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We woke up to the kind of day that makes one thankful to be where they are. Stunning blue skies and sunlight in Alaska air that crisps the edges of everything.

You may want to click on photos to enlarge

The major activity today was visiting the town of Elfin Cove.

Elfin Cove is a small, remote census-designated place located on the northern end of Chichagof Island in Southeast Alaska. Here are some key facts:
It is situated in a protected, flask-shaped harbor originally called “Gunkhole” by fishermen. The current name “Elfin Cove” was given in 1935 when a post office was established.
As of the 2020 census, Elfin Cove had a population of just 24 people. The population is highly seasonal, swelling to around 200 during the summer fishing months.
Elfin Cove is only accessible by boat or floatplane, with no roads connecting it to other communities. A boardwalk runs through the small village.
It has a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. Average summer temperatures range from 52-63°F, and winters are 26-39°F.
The economy is heavily reliant on commercial fishing, sport fishing lodges/charters, and tourism. Elfin Cove has historically been a fish-buying and supply center for the fishing fleet.
Amenities include a post office, general store, liquor store, and a few other buildings, but no health care facilities.
Elfin Cove is located about 85 air miles west of Juneau, with floatplane service connecting it to Alaska’s capital city.
The remote location provides access to pristine fishing grounds with low fishing pressure, attracting anglers seeking salmon, halibut, lingcod and more.

It is a true treasure. Before we left the boat we had to attend a mandatory information session that was led by Mary Jo, a resident of Elfin Cove since 1974. She came to visit a friend and never left. When she came here there was no electricity, running water, or telephone service save the WWII wind up radios. Now the village has water 24 hours per day, electricity and even satellite internet service.

Because the town is so small they don’t allow more than 60 visitors at a time. We had to wait our turn but the scenery was delicious. Two bald eagles kept playing around circling the tress on this small island.

This is one happy dog.

I’ll let the pictures speak now.

Notices were posted on buildings at random.

I caught a young bald eagle (you can tell by the mottled feathers) stealing a fish from the harbor.

These two fisherman caught King Salmon.

The ever so important general store. Everything from pasta to shovels.

According to Mary Jo, orders from Amazon do get here, eventually.

I was just about to post this at 9:30 PM when a pod of Orcas decided to show off on the starboard side.

Sunset was pretty good as well.

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Sitka, a Whale of a Day

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Late morning, we arrived in Sitka, ready to spend the day exploring. Sitka is often called the birthplace of Alaska as we know it today. On October 18, 1867, the Alaska Purchase took place when the land was transferred from the Russian Empire to the United States for $7.2 million. The ceremony occurred in Sitka in front of the Governor’s House, where the Russian flag was lowered, and the American flag was raised.

Our first adventure was a wildlife tour, so we boarded a tender to the pier to catch a small boat.

We wound through several coves without spotting any wildlife, which seemed to worry our pilot. Determined to show us some marine life, he sped to a buoy known for its reliable sightings. Sure enough, we found sea lions lounging on the buoy—always a sure bet.

Several bald eagles circled overhead, and we came across a nest. Just as I was about to take a photo, the mother eagle performed a dramatic flight out of the nest.

Next, we searched for sea otters. We discovered a kelp bay and, as expected, there they were. Though hard to photograph due to their constant movement, you can see a head popping out of the water in the middle left of the picture.

As we meandered between small islands, we entered a cove and, “Bingo!”, a pod of gray whales appeared. It was the moment every tourist hopes for. Whales breached all around us. Each time I tried to point my camera at one, another would breach with a “whoosh” sound. I managed to capture this sequence using rapid burst. Our guide recognized this whale from previous sightings and named it “Patches” due to the white spot from detached barnacles.

The other feature of the day was winding through the Tongass National Forest, one of the largest contiguous temperate rainforests in the world.

Finally, a bald eagle perched long enough for a picture

Final tender back to the mother ship for the night. See you tomorrow.

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Aptly Named, Icy Bay

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Today didn’t quite go as planned. Overcast skies, a bit of rain, a changed itinerary, and rough seas all contributed to a less-than-ideal day. I found solace in a cozy corner of the grand lounge, curling up with a good book.

Originally, our itinerary had us cruising to Icy Bay before proceeding to Tsaa Fjord. However, as we approached Icy Bay and neared the fjord, the captain announced “No Joy” due to heavier than expected ice fields. Although our ship is built to navigate ice fields, the speed at which we can travel depends on the density of the icebergs. According to the captain’s assessment, we would have had to move at a snail’s pace, taking approximately five hours to enter and exit the fjord. Unfortunately, we didn’t have that much time, so we cruised slowly around Icy Bay before heading back out to the Gulf of Alaska, making our way toward Sitka.

A Little About Icy Bay
According to Wikipedia:
Icy Bay (Tlingit: Lig̲aasi Áa) is a body of water in the borough of Yakutat, Alaska, formed in the last 100 years by the rapid retreat of the Guyot, Yahtse, and Tyndall Glaciers. It is part of the Wrangell-Saint Elias Wilderness. At the beginning of the 20th century, the bay entrance was permanently blocked by a giant tidewater glacier face that calved icebergs directly into the Gulf of Alaska. A century-long glacial retreat has opened a multi-armed bay more than 30 miles (48 km) long. Icy Bay is a popular destination for sea kayakers and is reachable by bush plane from Yakutat, Alaska.

And it’s cold on the bay. I noticed a considerable temperature drop when we made our way into the bay. It’s like our ship was the garnish in a “on the rocks” cocktail. And the ice made the same noise as the little bergs bumped into each other and the ship.

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Thank goodness that instead of a swag bag every passenger was issued their own “expedition” parka. They were needed today.

Rough seas all night until our mid-morning arrival in Sitka.