Wednesday | June 29th
September 10, 2011 by admin
Filed under InnerSea Discoveries
Patterson Bay: Scat and Cataracts!
Wake up to the sound of heavy rain and the euphonious waterfalls that surround our anchored vessel.
As you might say in Spanish: Que lastima! Esta lloviendo (what a pity that it’s raining). But here’s my saying for the day: “Whether the weather is wet or whether the weather is dry…whatever the weather we’ll weather the weather, whether we like it or not.” I should add: “There is no such thing as bad weather…there is only inappropriate gear.”
It’s easy to think that the inclement weather will continue for days, if not weeks, since there isn’t any sign of a “blue-hole” or patch of blue in the sky. Positive thinking really helps and it’s encouraging to see gung-ho guests ready to get out and brave the elements. We all know, of course, that “liquid sunshine” is what makes the temperate rainforest so lush and verdant! If we get a bit cold, we can all get in the hot tubs after our days adventures!
Today I lead two separate groups through dense vegetation to a well-hidden and spectacular waterfall.
I have to yell “HEY BEAR” while pushing through the tall salmonberry shrubs, alder thickets and Devils’ Club plants to alert any sleeping grizzly bears. The guests follow me as I crawl under and on top of giant, fallen trees. We are sopping wet within 100 yards of penetration but all have big grins on their faces. Why? Because this is as good as it gets for pure wilderness! After we step over our first of at least 10 large piles of brown bear scat, I pronounce: “Welcome to the food chain!”
In the lower 48 States (or anyplace in the world for that matter), it’s easy to take trails for granted. It isn’t until we get into the path-less woods that we can appreciate all the effort it takes to build and maintain a trail. Four legged mammals have the advantage of ducking under massive fallen trees while looking for the least difficult way through an ecosystem to find food, water and shelter.
I shoot some video of our hiking group pushing through the wet vegetation and into the shallow river where it is easier to navigate.
In the late afternoon, our captain decides to motor into another of the spectacular fiords on the southeast side of Baranof.
The scenery is mesmerizing at just a few knots per hour and many are quiet and contemplative on our journey up to a waterfall and a view of a brown bear.
