The last week in Sitka has been a wonderful experience! The first few days were very low key hanging around town after our first trip on the ferry. Thursday we left for the floathouse which was more then I imagined. It was an adorable cottage right of the shore of a small bay in the Sitka Sound. The days on the float house were very relaxing, we spent most of the time at the house playing cards and reading in the lantern light once the sun finally started to go down at 10 or so. On Friday we made an exhausting paddle out to Bear Cove where we saw huge Salmon leaping out of the water just feet from our kayaks. The paddle back was intense with the wind first blowing directly in our faces and then blowing huge swells up over the sides of our kayaks. When we rounded the last bend into our cove I could never have been more happy to see that little cottage. On Saturday I had an exciting ride back to town on the skiff with Kelly and Alex. They seemed a little nervous but I was practically cheering sitting at the front, that is until we hit a huge swell that put me into the air and right back down on the steel seat. After picking up more ice and other necessities such as twix, frosted animal crackers, soda and s'mores we headed back to the floathouse to spend the last few days relaxing. 
Today, me and Leigh went on a 4x4 on Kruzof Island. We had a 25 minute boat ride to the island and on the way we saw a sea lion ripping up its meal above water and humpbacks about 150 yards off, the closest we've seen them yet. Once on the island a guide took the group of 7 of us across the island in two seater rhinos to a black sand beach facing out towards the Pacific Ocean. I drove on the way to the beach and Leigh drove back. Half way down the trail there is a beautiful meadow where I managed to run our 4x4 into the back of the tour guides, opps my bad :) . And this is where we got to see our first brown bear! There were two adolescent brown bears, maybe 200-300 pounds. The guide speculated that their mother kicked them out early or they were run off by another male. It was so cool, we got to watch them for a couple minutes before hitting the "road" again. They feed some snacks on the beach and then headed back. Back in the boat on the way to town we got to see a sea otter very close, maybe 10 feet from the boat hanging out on his back just floating along in the bay.
We have some great pictures but the hotel computer won't let us download, I will add 'em later!
Sitka was an excellent experience and some place I most definitely plan on returning some day.
Tomorrow we head for Wrangell on the ferry and go fishing on Wednesday! Hope I get to send back some Salmon or Halibut!!!
Today, me and Leigh went on a 4x4 on Kruzof Island. We had a 25 minute boat ride to the island and on the way we saw a sea lion ripping up its meal above water and humpbacks about 150 yards off, the closest we've seen them yet. Once on the island a guide took the group of 7 of us across the island in two seater rhinos to a black sand beach facing out towards the Pacific Ocean. I drove on the way to the beach and Leigh drove back. Half way down the trail there is a beautiful meadow where I managed to run our 4x4 into the back of the tour guides, opps my bad :) . And this is where we got to see our first brown bear! There were two adolescent brown bears, maybe 200-300 pounds. The guide speculated that their mother kicked them out early or they were run off by another male. It was so cool, we got to watch them for a couple minutes before hitting the "road" again. They feed some snacks on the beach and then headed back. Back in the boat on the way to town we got to see a sea otter very close, maybe 10 feet from the boat hanging out on his back just floating along in the bay.
We have some great pictures but the hotel computer won't let us download, I will add 'em later!
Sitka was an excellent experience and some place I most definitely plan on returning some day.
Tomorrow we head for Wrangell on the ferry and go fishing on Wednesday! Hope I get to send back some Salmon or Halibut!!!
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