More Alaska Adventures!

An Early Start, Alaska Day Two

Today we’re up early as usual, around 5:30. Sue is making a delicious breakfast in the galley; eggs with veggies, raisin toast and hot coffee. A passing thought… “I could do this for the rest of my life.”  A comfortable fantasy!

Notice the earrings Sue has on…my Magic Zoo bronze grizzly bears! You may have to zoom in a bit to see them. They are a perfect match for her curly golden hair. Sue and I hope they bring us luck in spotting the real thing soon.

A Boat Tour and a Successful Catch!

Pete and Sue still have jobs in Sausalito and will pick up where they left off when they return to California in another month or so, but when they retire in an unknown (though not too far off) number of years, they really can do this full time if they want.

It’s turning into mid-morning, but the neighbors who docked near us last night have come by for a little boat tour. Pete and Sue have gone with them below deck while I stay in the wheel house upstairs and eavesdrop. Three guys, audibly jealous of this lovely craft in that boisterous, laughing male way. I’m sure Pete and Sue are enjoying that.

Goodbyes are said and off we go again. Peter has picked up the crab pot on the way out of the cove and he’s caught 2 dungeness and a tanner crab. They are beautiful and remind me of ancient spiders with which they share some lineage. I admire them and apologize “I am sorry you are delicious.” It sounds silly, but it’s how I feel.

I have no idea what time it is, how many hours have passed since we left or when we’ll get to our next destination. We’re continuing down Stephen’s Passage, south past Admiralty Island. I sit on the deck with a pair of heavy binoculars and lazily raise them when I think I see something of interest. Still no whales, but lots of cute little ocean birds, murrelets, that dive out of sight every few minutes. Another bald eagle cruises past, rides an updraft and perches in a tree.

It seems to be getting a little cooler, but not cold. Pete points out a glacier and tells me we’re nearing our next stopping spot, where we’ll anchor out and dinghy to some little icebergs. They are endearingly called “bergie bits”, calved from larger icebergs.

Now both starboard and port sides are lined with mountains, the highest peaks snow-covered in July.

We’ve arrived in the harbor, and Pete is lowering the anchor; he and Sue work together with hand signals for this operation. I’m impressed by their knowledge and ability to keep their home afloat, repair anything that comes up on their journey, maintain friendly relations with each other no matter what happens to be going on outside or in. They are an excellent team.

Visiting Little Icebergs

After lunch Peter lowers the dinghy so we can make our way to the little icebergs. I’m feeling pretty clumsy, but Peter bends down so I can balance by holding onto his back as I step in. No disaster occurs and I land heavily in the boat and sit in the front. Sue is an old hand and sits on the inflated side. We’ll head for the first bergie bit, and from a distance of maybe ¼ mile it looks like an irregular white blob floating in the water.

Pete pulls the rope on the motor like he’s starting a lawnmower and away we go.

As we get close, I realize this chunk of ice is really a beautiful natural sculpture, with little caves, pointy parts and ice that in some places is thick and translucent, in other places completely transparent. It is dripping steadily, slowly melting into the harbor. I break off a soft chunk and we share it, delicious ice at least a thousand years old, or close to it.

Here I am…sucking on ice from a bergie bit, wearing a light sweater and I’m in Alaska. Crazy.

Pete tells me we have to be careful and not get too close because these giant ice chunks can tip over if they aren’t “anchored” well below the surface. And really, despite their nickname, they dwarf us and the dinghy.

We’re heading for the second one now, and the water we speed through reflects the sun, blinking like stars on a black shifting sky. Peter asked me if I wanted to go fast and we did, flying over the smooth waves to the second bergie bit, an enormous island with a bald eagle perched on top. Wouldn’t his feet get cold? Apparently that’s a favorite place for eagles to perch.

We’re at the second bergie bit in no time. This one looks completely different, a unique and individual sculpture with more angles and much longer.

Now Pete heads off to a crunchy beach, we’re walking over barnacle encrusted, oystered land. Pete pulled a giant slab of wood close so we could anchor the dinghy, allowing me to depart the craft with maybe one ounce of dignity. We walked a little way through 5-foot-high sedge grass. I broke off a tip but couldn’t make it whistle between my thumbs. Have my thumbs changed or was it the grass?

Pete pointed out the curious head of a harbor seal out so far I could barely decipher it was not a random something floating. When it dove under I knew I’d been looking in the right spot.

Visiting the final bergie on the way back to the boat, chipping ancient ice for cocktails and water.

Fresh Crabs for Dinner!

We had crabs, salad and garlic bread for dinner. An awkward dinner for me, trying to pull out the meat from skinny arms and legs. But there were delicious chunks of sweet meat in little chambers in the body, easier for this inexperienced crab eater to get to. White wine, a perfect pair to this delectable dinner. Sticky fingers and tiny bits of crab scattered on the table and myself. Sue said don’t worry Kona will clean up.

This was my second day in Alaska. I still haven’t seen any big animals, bear or whales. But my hopes are still alive. After all, I’ll be here for 6 more days.

Stay tuned for more! Trust me, the action has only begun…

Your Animal Loving Artist,

Merry