Eagles and Crabs and Bears, Oh My!!

HAPPY  4TH  OF  JULY!

          July 4, 2011...........Another Monday that Dan and I had off together. The weather wasn't as good as it was last week Monday. In fact, since last Monday it has rained every day. In the past week we have gotten between one quarter and one half inch of rain each day. The snow on the mountain tops is almost gone and the waterfalls are very full. People here in Ketchikan are loving this rain as their cisterns were getting quite low on water. In town we have city water, but everywhere else they use cisterns for their water supply.

          Now, I fully understand this, and I too have an appreciation for the rain, but, really? On Friday, July 1st, it rained so hard and the wind blew so strong, that the rain was coming down horizontally! The winds were between 20 mph and 30 mph with gusts of 40 mph. By mid day Taquan cancelled their Misty tours and the flying parts of my Exclusive Crab Feasts. I was out on the docks from 6am until 4pm.....10 hours in drenching rain. The temperature was 50, but felt like 44 (did I mention it was July 1st?). Even with all my rain gear on I still felt damp. I had a hankie in my jacket pocket, and, with my back to the wind a lot of my day, my hankie was soaked. Yesterday, Sunday, was just like that, only the winds were slightly less until the early part of the afternoon when the gusts were too much and not safe for Taquan to fly. My Crab Feast people were slightly disappointed, but glad we had their safety in mind. They still enjoyed the All-You-Care-To-Eat-Crab, but we drove them there and back (at a reduced rate).

          Today, our day off, when we woke it was still raining. However, the wind was less. I called Candi and asked if there was room on the Wilderness Crab Feast (the drive/drive) for Dan and I to go. She said we would have to drive out as the bus was only a van, but there would be enough room to accommodate both of us on the boat. Great, let's go! As we were heading out of town toward the Lodge, the town was getting ready for the annual 4th Of July Parade. Unfortunately we would be missing that (hmmm, on one hand the local parade in the RAIN! or, on the other hand, all that crab to eat!! No brain-er).

           On our way out to the George Inlet Lodge we passed by Herring Cove, just before the pavement ends. It is about 8 miles from the city center. The salmon are running, and that is a very good fishing area. The tide was out, and the tidal flat was exposed. A lot of people were exploring and fishing there. We spoke to a man from Montana who, after 4 hours of fishing, caught a 15 pound king salmon.

          This is prime viewing area for eagles. There is an abundance of eagles with their own fishing in mind. We just had to stop and get out our camera. These pictures are of Golden Eagles and Bald Eagles. We were so enthralled with the majestic birds, that we didn't realize that we would be late for the boat tour portion of the Wilderness Crab Feast. But we just couldn't pass up this Kodak moment.

"Where's Waldo?" Can you count how many eagles are in these trees?

          I told Dan we needed to go. So back into the car and on to the Lodge. When we got to the Lodge we discovered that we had missed the boat by about 3 minutes. Well, we didn't miss the boat with those magnificent birds. Trish said that we could wait and eat with the next group who were coming in by air (the fly/drive tour). They were on an Exclusive Crab Feast tour. Two Taquan Air planes were coming to drop off people and pick up the Exclusive tour that drove out (the drive/fly tour) By the way, if you are confused by my terminology, go back and check out "A Day in the Life of Your Tour Rep." Anyway, I had never done the Exclusive tour, so I said we would love to stay for that one. The guests get a private dining room, drinks, appetizer of smoked salmon with herbed cream cheese on crackers, and, of course, DUNGIES! (the Dungeoness Crabs)

View from the Lodge

First plane landing

Second plane coming in

Coming in to the dock

Arriving passengers out - Departing passengers in

Beautifully set table with yummy food. Bring on the crab!

          When we were finished with all the crab we cared to eat, the guests departed up those 79 steps (I'd told you about) and Dan and I looked around the gift shop. I wanted to get a chance to let Trish know that we really enjoyed ourselves and thank her for letting us partake in the meal. I also wanted face time with the people I talk with everyday from the docks, plus get to see the people I met on the boat trip around Revillagigedo a few weeks back.

          Now it was our turn to climb those 79 steps up to the road and our waiting car. And, as usual, I got to step #70 and had to stop for a rest. It wasn't the physical labor of it; I wasn't even breathing hard. But my thighs were burning! I thought, with all the exercise I get walking from Dock 3 to 1 to 4 to 1 and back to 3 would have gotten me in better shape! That's a heck of a stair master.

          On our way back to town we got another treat. At Herring Cove again, we saw a Bald eagle sitting on top of an old utility pole. We pulled to the side of the road very quietly so as to not spook him. I rolled down my window, zoomed in on my camera and just snapped away. At one point he looked down at me as if to say "Did you get enough pictures?" 

          Then, just around the corner we discovered that there were bears at the Zip Line and Nature Sanctuary. We parked the car, got out and stood along side some other people. I felt safe enough because I knew I could out-run some of those ladies. There was one male bear, one female with one cub, and another female with two cubs! The place also has a salmon hatchery and I think the bears think this is a great grocery store. Mama and her two cubs were trying to get in to catch some fish. All of a sudden we heard the other baby start crying and calling out. We couldn't see what was happening, but we figured the baby must have fallen in somewhere and was calling mama to come get him out. Well, she got her youngster out safe and they then just walked past us and back into the woods.

          The rain and wind were picking up, so we decided to go. Besides, I wanted to go see my favorite ShoreEx, Katja, from the Regent's 7 Seas Navigator, who was in at Dock 1. When we got there we could really feel the wind. Candi was also there and said that the wind was so bad that Taquan cancelled all flights again this day. Now, I don't mind a little rain, but that wind is wicked! Candi was taking Katja out to the Lodge for crab (Katja's favorite place to go), so Dan and I decided to go home.

Old time sailing vessel - New time "sailing" vessel

                  

Answer to the "Where's Waldo" Eagles in the tree: 16.        Did you get it right?