Day 16 ~ Punch Bowl, Misty Fjords Alaska to Fitzgibbon Cove, Misty Fjords Alaska

Our morning started with a startling slap of water on the hull, an unusual sound considering our location. We all jumped up to investigate and discovered that an excursion from one of the cruise ships had brought a group of people into our cove and dropped them off to go hiking. Apparently, there is a rather challenging trail up to a lake that promises to be worth the hike. I’m sure that if Eileen had been with us she would have wanted to join them. Prior to our departure, 5 float planes landed simultaneously and then took off.

Dad was not really enthusiastic about pulling the crab pots this morning because he was concerned that they were going to be filled to the brim. His concern was valid so he and Gene got really picky and tossed just the biggest ones in the cooler with salt water which would keep them alive until dinner. We found a place to drop the prawn pots near our next anchorage and decided to drop them on our way in and pick them up on the way out.

Before we departed we pulled out the chart and created our daily float plan. We got really good about creating one each day, making notes on it during the day, updating it at the end of the day and the printing an official copy for our book.

Our official sightseeing trip of the day was up Walker Cove which was described as having grand waterfalls, wildlife and spectacular scenery. Afterwards, we voted that 2 of the 3 were true and that we were a bit late for the grandiose waterfalls, although there was plenty of evidence that they would be there under proper conditions. We did however have an unexpected surprise as we approached the head of Walker Cove. A sea plane came over head and landed just in front of us, taxied towards the shore and then actually paddled towards the shore with his riders on the pontoons. Dad was observing their activity when he noticed a magnificent grizzly bear. We watched him for some time while he foraged in the marsh and we took some pictures. He didn’t seem a bit concerned about us. The entire day was one giant photo opportunity, with snow capped mountains that had the most spectacular colors of blue. It is hard to describe the clarity and variety of the colors.

We set two prawn pots in Saks Cove and then found anchorage in Fitzgibbons Cove, along with several other boats, including the Inception, which is the boat that left Price Rupert just ahead of us. After we anchored, Dad commented that we were a bit closer to the wall than he desired. He tried to explain to me what I did wrong in executing the plan, which is when I had to explain to him that the problem was in my understanding of the plan because we were exactly where I was expecting to put us!  We all got a good laugh.

 

At one point in the evening, Dad walked into the galley, picked up a pair of field glasses and asked me if he told me that there was a bear on the beach would I believe him, my reply was no. He laughed and said good because there isn’t one. Failing to get me to bite, he decided to make some appetizers. Just as he finished he asked me the same question again. This time I replied, yes. He laughed and said good, because there is one!  We got into the dinghy and went over to get some pictures along with the folks from the Inception who had the same idea. The bear didn’t seem too concerned about us and then he took off up into the hill. We visited with the folks of the Inception for a bit and then headed back for dinner and an early night to bed…we might have had a bit too much to drink the night before.