Lizzy's First Whale (and more)...

 

Might as well go with the lead...  This is a humpback.   See the leading-edge "hump" on the dorsal fin?  That's the giveaway that this is a humpback.   That dorsal fin looks a little chewed-up to me.   This whale was right in the middle of our planned track, so we slowed down and veered off course so we wouldn't disturb it too much.   This was in Salisbury Sound just before the Kakul Narrows.

We departed the dock in Sitka at about 1000 (10:00am).  Here Admiral Karen is providing expert line-handling and knot tying instructions as well as how to put away the docklines and fenders.

Having good students make this a lot easier!
The rarely seen Sitka volcano, Mt Edgecumbe, on Kruzof Island.   Rarely seen as it is regularly shrouded in fog, overcast, and drizzle.   Fog, Overcast, & Drizzle - the Alaska summer weather trifecta.
Here is a close-up of Mt Edgecumbe.
Just cruis'n along at a blistering 6.5 knots!  I don't know how I do it...
We are northbound entering Deadman Reach in Peril Strait.  It is beautifully flat calm out here.

We zoomed-in; our anchorage for tonight is just behind this island, Emmons Island.

Here is the same view, zoomed-out.

Looking across Hoonah Sound at the northwest end of Peril Strait towards Chichagof Island.

We dropped anchor & set it at 1745 (5:45pm).  This is the eastward view of Emmons Island from the boat.

And looking north across the channel from our anchorage.

Kayaks in the water and Lizzy & Taylor are off to explore.

They had a wonderful encounter with a pair of Dahl's porpoises that played with them briefly while they were paddling back to the boat.
Just two lonely kayaks in the wilderness.

While they were playing, I was trying to figure out where the heck we should go tomorrow.   So many people have extolled the virtues of Baranof Warm Springs, that we will change our scheduled itinerary in favor of a stop there in a few days.   So, that changes tomorrow's destination.   So, we will go to Takatz Bay tomorrow.

Takatz is about 45 miles away.  Just before we get to Takatz, we have a surprise sightseeing stop for Taylor & Lizzy.   You will have to tune in for tomorrow's episode to find out what is in store for the dashing young couple!
This evening, the clouds started to roll in.   But look at the texture of those clouds!

Everyone back aboard and accounted for - it was dinnertime.   Dinner consisted of burnt ends, brown rice,  woked mixed veggies, and a salad (that only Karen & I ate) along with a pomegranate wine for Lizzy, and a 2022 Long Cellars Savor for Karen & I.

Post dinner chores: Change the watermaker filters, put the kayaks away, do the dinner dishes, and blog.  Divide and conquer.   I got the watermaker filters & blogging.   Lizzy helped me with the filters, and Thank You for that!

The sun is starting to set, and twilight is getting ready to start.   Twilight up here is dramatic and lasts for hours.

We were treated to a whale show out in Peril Strait.
 



The whale show is mostly over.   Now the sunset show begins...



Simply spectacular.

Good Night, My Friends.

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