Paddleboard Adventure Journal Admiralty Island Itinerary Alaska Wilderness Charters Call: 907-419-4474
Day Two
From our berths’ comfort, we hear the crew beginning their day in the early morning hours. Neil and Al start the generator and boat engines while the chef prepares salmon quiche, muffins, granola, fresh fruit, and juice. Yummy! Soon the crew pulls up the anchor, and we’re underway.
Brown Bear, Pavlov Harbor
We slowly sail south out of Funter Bay and continue south in Chatham Strait. Our destination is Pavlov Harbor, nestled within Freshwater Bay on the southeast coast of Chichagof Island. Along our route of travel, we’ll keep an eye on the shoreline for brown bears. Pavlov Harbor is a photographer’s dream. Any number of brown bears can often be observed fishing in the rapids and small waterfalls of a river that empties into the harbor.
Suddenly we encounter a pod of orcas. It’s a group of three or four, including a male with his large dorsal fin, one or two females, and a juvenile. We observe their behavior as they linger in the area for 15 to 20 minutes. After the pod of orcas departs to the north, we continue cruising to the south. But there’s never a scarcity of wildlife viewing in Alaska. An hour later, humpback whales begin to make their presence known. Some are near enough that the boat swings in their general direction. Others are far off in the distance. But always exciting.
Arriving in Pavlov Harbor State Marine Park, we have a tempting lunch of vegetable and sausage burritos. Then we gear up for our afternoon paddle. Pavlov Harbor is not expansive, but we’ve got plenty of room to separate into pairs and establish our own peaceful rhythm. First, we’ll paddle to the rapids and falls, with hopes to see bears feasting on salmon. But alas, our timing is not good today. Perhaps we’re too early for the salmon run that gets the attention of bears? We continue to paddle for an hour before returning to the Glacier Bear.
By mid-afternoon, the Glacier Bear has turned west into Tenakee Inlet. We approach the quaint community of Tenakee Springs. A visit to this charming community provides a fun getaway.
The crew drops the anchor of Glacier Bear a short distance from the shore. We’re shuttled by boat in two groups to the seaplane dock, where we disembark and climb the ramp. It’s a short walk to the General Store—our last chance to assess and replenish our “personal” liquor supply. The store has lots of choices, including cases of Alaska Amber Beer, bottles of tequila and vodka, and various packaged goods to support the local community. They even have chocolate-covered almonds! We’ll hang out with local artists at the café and (if our schedule permits) soak in the 105-degree therapeutic hot springs. We’ll walk the length of an unpaved road (there are no cars in Tenakee Springs), pass cabins and small lodges along the boardwalk, and arrive at the small boat harbor. We’re picked up by our boat for the short ride back to the Glacier Bear.
Our destination this evening is Corner Bay (just past Kadashan Bay). As the light gets lower, brown bears begin to appear along the shoreline. They are searching for a quick meal along the beach and occasionally quarrel with one another over “territorial disputes.” One bear chases another for several hundred yards along the coast. Probably a sow is driving an adolescent male away from her cubs. Dinner this evening is the fresh Dungeness Crab we gathered this morning from the crab traps we set in Funter Bay. If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
