This is the third of the “Week-Long Alaskan Dream” post series.

Blue skies as far as the eye could see, with wispy clouds of white fanning out like the tentacles of the octopus (which was a common motif in the Sitka area). The Misty Fjord untied from the mooring buoy and began Day 2 of its exploration, headed for the Peril Strait.

Humpback whale spouts were spotted soon after launching for the day. The pleasure of a small ship like Misty Fjord, holding no more than 10 passengers (and this cruise, sailing with 8), is that the captain has only a few mandates for the itinerary, with the rest determined by the conditions and sightings of the day. As we spotted whales, the captain slowed the boat and cut the engine, so we could scan the waters and soak in the scene.

The whoosh of a spout echoed across the strait, and the arched back of the whale soon followed. After several rounds of this routine, that magical tail flip would be the reward for patiently watching and waiting, the waters slowly streaming from the edge of the flukes as the large creature again entered the depths below.

With waters glassy and calm on the Peril Strait, the decision was made to put in the kayaks. Four tandem kayaks and a single kayak for our naturalist guide soon were quietly paddling across the surface as whales pushed air noisily through their blowholes from multiple corners of the channel.

A whale would move lazily through the water, sometimes with a tail flip to signal a dive, and sometimes just repeating those undulating movements, all while our group continued making its way along a section of the strait.

While we did not have a firm schedule for the day, we did need to get to Baranof Warm Springs for the evening. After enjoying the peaceful surroundings with the whales for a time, we paddled back to the boat to continue on our way.

Making our way from the Peril Strait into Chatham Strait to the eastern side of Baranof Island, the Misty Fjord detoured into an almost hidden small bay. The bay was home to a spectacular waterfall cascading down the mountainside, spraying us as it reached the bay’s deep waters.

Rounding the corner of the bay back into the strait, we dismissed a lump in the water as a log …. until it moved …. and a harbor seal with its spotted belly did a slow turn into the water, while another whiskered nose peered our way and then dipped below the rippling wake.

We continued southward along Chatham Strait. Mother Nature showed us just some of her many creative facets, using pollen to paint artistic patterns on the mirrored surface of the water.

Our final destination of the night was on the opposite side of Baranof Island from Sitka, along Warm Springs Bay.  Baranof Warm Springs is the name of the small community in the bay, but also refers to the naturally occurring mineral hot springs that converges with a rushing river fed by mountain snowmelt.

The Misty Fjord moored alongside a boardwalk-connected dock in Warm Springs Bay. With swimsuits under our hiking clothes, we grabbed beach towels and followed the boardwalk, up the stairs, and along a rocky, tree-rooted path.

At one point, the path opened to a pristine lake with a view that competed with any postcard scene.

The trail led from the lake to a short, technically challenging spur that connected to the hot springs.

The Baranof Warm Springs are not large, but consist of a couple natural pools with rock ledges and temperatures that reportedly range from 102 to 107 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 38 to 41 degrees Celsius). We carefully navigated the incline down to the pools and scooted in slowly, feeling our way to a level “seat” beneath the hot water, or sitting on the rocky edge with lower legs dangling in the flowing natural bath while our bodies adjusted to the warmth. The sub-spring surfaces were slippery to the touch, and one could go slithering into the deeper center of the pool if one picked the wrong spot as a “seat.”

Many of us brought a cold beer to enjoy as the steam rose around us, even enjoying a little sunbathing while perched on the natural divide between the cold waterfall and hot springs.

For those who wanted to extend the warm springs experience, the public bath house along the boardwalk provided a scenic spot to soak and relax.

After dinner the tide rose high enough for us to take out the kayaks through a narrow channel that opened to a mountain amphitheater. Once you navigated the kayak past the rocky opening, you could float or gently paddle around the enclosed bay. The scenery was just as interesting under the kayaks — water clarity allowed a peek into the underwater world of starfish, anemones, and urchins of different colors and types.

The sky dimmed and we paddled back to the boat to unwind and rest up for what tomorrow might bring.

~ Kat

Next post: The Sea Lion Posse of Frederick Sound

Previous posts in the series: 

• A Week-Long Alaskan Dream: Mosquito Cove Trail
• Leaving Sitka on the Misty Fjord