Kayaking the Icy Strait

 (This is sixth in a series of posts recapping my recent trip to Glacier Bay National Park in southeast Alaska.)

Hubby and I had been halibut fishing, I'd gone whale watching, and we'd both taken the day-long Glacier Bay National Park cruise.  What was next on the agenda?  Our final full day in Gustavus, Alaska a guided kayak tour was planned.  After an excellent kayaking trip during a prior Alaskan visit, I was looking forward to a repeat.

Carrying kayaks to the dock

The kayak tour company picked up hubby and I and another couple from our lodge.  They ferried us to their offices where we met another man and woman who were also part of the day's tour.  After outfitting everyone with waterproof boots, pants, and jackets we loaded into a van with a kayak trailer attached for the very quick trip to the town's public boat dock.

Mountain views in Icy Strait

Again we lucked out weather-wise with another cloudy, but thankfully dry day.  Our guide unloaded the kayaks and had everyone pitch in to carry them to the shoreline, a short distance away.  Then he assigned each person a life jacket and spray skirt.  After shimmying into those, we helped the guide load the kayaks with lunch, water bottles, and emergency supplies.  Then he gathered the group around and demonstrated how to enter and exit the boats, how to paddle, and a few other items I promptly forgot.  But one thing I did remember - our guide told us that when the water got rough, the best thing to do was keep paddling.  This advice would serve me well later.

First a through briefing from our guide

Our route for the day was a crossing of the Icy Strait, the large body of water at the entrance of Glacier Bay.  We'd boat across the strait to Pleasant Island, a large island that was a designated wilderness area.  After landing on the island our guide would give us a short nature hike.  Then we'd have our lunch and paddle back.  When booking this trip I was told the excursion would take a full day.

I think we're ready to do this!

Finally it was time to get into our boats and try things out.  All the kayaks were two-person, so each couple had their own vessel.  Hubby, who is an extremely strong paddler, elected to sit in the rear so he got in first.  Once he was seated with his spray skirt secured, it was my turn.  Let me tell you, that seat is a long ways down!  But I managed to get in without falling into the water or tipping the kayak over, so I considered that a win.  I even was able to stretch my spray skirt across the opening and slip it in place by myself, not an easy feat when you're inside the boat!

Out on the water

Once both hubby and I were in place, our guide pushed us out into the water.  We were off!  Floating in the waters, I tested my paddling techniques.  But I really didn't need to stroke that hard.  My hubby was such a strong paddler he propelled the kayak for both of us.  I joked he was my outboard motor.

Our group paddling together

Of course I brought my cameras along for the voyage.  Not wanting to wreck my "better" camera, it was secure in a dry bag by my feet.  But I'd slid my old point-n-shoot Canon into another dry bag which was strapped into the kayak's top webbing for easy access.  Since Hubby was managing to control the kayak just fine, I took the opportunity to get shots of our progress.

I got hubby to quit paddling long enough for a photo!

The water was smooth, so we made it to the middle of Icy Strait in no time.  It was great to be floating surrounded by great scenery and wildlife.  Cloud-capped mountains rose from the skyline.  I spotted birds and sea otters floating in the water, but they didn't let us get very close.  Not close enough for photos anyway!

Our guide giving instructions

And of course I took the opportunity to photograph both myself and the other boaters in our group.  Gotta document things, after all.  But soon Hubby grew tired of being the only paddler, so I heeded his grumbles and stowed the camera for awhile.

Approaching Pleasant Island

Since our kayak trip was supposed to be all day, I was a bit surprised when we approached the Pleasant Island shoreline and it wasn't even 11 o'clock.  From the opposite shore Icy Strait had looked wide and imposing and I assumed we'd be paddling for a long time before reaching our destination.  I didn't expect that we'd cross so quickly.

 

We had to paddle through lots of kelp

Our guide steered us around the island, through a huge bed of kelp.  (That was challenging to paddle though.)  He said we'd land on a beach a short distance away.

Almost to the beach

Our tour group floated along the shoreline of Pleasant Island.  I snagged a few more pictures here and there.  Finally our guide  headed for a pebbly beach up ahead.  We all pulled our kayaks on shore and managed to extricate ourselves from the vessels.  Success!  We'd all made the voyage in one piece and only one woman had gotten wet (and it wasn't me).

Taking a break on Pleasant Island

It was still too early for lunch, so our guide suggested a short nature hike to explore a little of Pleasant Island.  After sitting in our vessels, everyone was up for a leg stretcher.

Forest Service cabin on Pleasant Island

As mentioned before, Pleasant Island was a designated wilderness area.  No one lived here, but the locals sometimes boated across the strait to camp and hike.  The Forest Service maintained a cabin near our landing point that could be rented to the public.  Shortly after setting off on our short trek, the guide led us by this cute little building in the woods with a partial view of the water.

Our guide took us on a nature hike

Beyond the cabin, we followed the guide single-file as he thrashed through the thick bushes.  There was a very faint path, barely a trail, leading us through the forest.  I kind of felt like we were bushwhacking - made even more difficult as we were all wearing rubber boots (the official Alaskan footwear.)

Examining a huge blow down tree

This part of Alaska receives a huge amount of yearly rainfall.  Winters are usually more rainy than snowy and the forests here more closely resemble rainforests of the Pacific NW.  All this moisture yields tons of fungi - which our guide pointed out as we slogged along.

Lots of fungi in this forest

There were fungi (mushrooms) of all shapes, colors and sizes.  Of course, I couldn't resist photographing most of them!  At one point, our guide pointed out a huge brown fungi growing like a shelf off of the side of a tree.  When he said the name, I heard "Bears Breath."  I thought, hmm, funny name for a mushroom, but okay.  Come to find out, the name was actually "Bear Bread."  Ooops!  (I still like "Bears Breath" better.)  One thing for sure, now I won't ever forget the name of this particular fungi.

Scrambling under a fallen tree

We walked for about a half mile, bashing through thick bushes, scrambling under downed trees, and hoofing through rocks and tree stumps until we reached the top of Pleasant Island.  The area here was more grassy with less trees.  After pointing out a few of the more interesting plant life, our guide led us back through the forest to the beach.

"Bears Bread" fungi (not "bears breath")

After having nice lunches packed by our lodge most of the week, I was expecting a good spread.  But lunch was disappointing.  Our guide laid out dry bagels, cream cheese, and equally dry smoked salmon.  He cut up one apple and offered a dozen sad-looking carrot sticks.  He'd packed a thermos full of hot water for hot chocolate and tea, but when I tried to drink my tea, I found the water still scalding hot - so hot that it blistered my lower lip.  The only redeeming factor was the wonderful homemade ginger cookies for dessert.  And there was enough of those for seconds (which I of course took advantage of!)

Looking out on Icy Strait from Pleasant Island

After finishing our lunch it wasn't even yet noon.  However, our guide was getting nervous.  He said the tide was starting to come in and the afternoon wind that accompanied it was usually strong.  Worried about navigating the Icy Strait in choppy conditions, he suggested we start back across before things got too bad.

Time to paddle back!

So we all stuffed ourselves back into our respective kayaks and launched into the strait.  Our guide told all three couples to "stay together."  Soon after hitting the water, that advice got thrown out the window.  One couple noticed a spouting whale nearby and paddled closer for a better look.  The other couple, intent on returning, started paddling like their lives depended on it and were soon far ahead.  Hubby, wanting to catch the faster couple, activated his inner motor boat and we were soon in hot pursuit.

  

One of the other couples in our group

Waters were calm to begin with, but once we rounded the corner of Pleasant Island, our group was met with the full fury of Icy Strait.  The once calm sea was now full of rowdy waves, buffeting our tiny boat.  The wind had definitely picked up strength, and it seemed to be blowing directly at us.  Paddling against the wind and waves slowed our progress to a crawl.  There was no time for photos now, as I needed to paddle as if my life depended upon it (which it kinda did.)  Thankfully I remembered the one vital instruction from our guide this morning "If the water gets rough, the best thing to do is keep paddling."  So I did.  Through all the waves that threatened to overtop the boat, through all the unexpected splashes that got my left arm thoroughly soaked, through the screaming wind that seemed impede all forward motion.  I dug in and paddled until my hands began to get numb and my arms ached.  Still, the Gustavus boat dock didn't look like it was getting any closer.

By now our group was totally strung out across the strait.  Our guide had dropped back to be with the last boat so we other two couples were on our own.  Bit by bit I began to see progress.  The dock slowly inched nearer (albeit very slowly).  Finally, after a very long time, Hubby and I passed the dock and wearily paddled the remaining short distance  to the beach.  Hurrah - we'd made it!

This couple stayed at the same lodge as us

By the time everyone was finally back onshore, it was only 1 o'clock.  What was presented to us as an "all day" kayak trip was already finished and it was barely afternoon.  After packing everything up and returning to our lodge we still had most of the afternoon to fill.

Although it was fun to experience kayaking again, both Hubby and I were not impressed with the guiding company.  Compared to my last Alaskan kayak tour this one was a total bust.  We'd been told this was a "day long" tour, only to be finished shortly after lunch.  We spent at the most about three hours actually on the water, due to tides and wind.  If Icy Strait has a reputation for rough seas, why hadn't the guide company taken us somewhere a bit tamer?  And the sparse lunch, complete with burning-hot water for tea, had left quite a bit to be desired.  We both agreed this was our least favorite activity and one we wouldn't repeat again.

Tomorrow our flight left for home.  But with our departure not until 5:30 pm, Hubby and I still had most of the day to fill.  C'mon back for my final Alaska post - our last look at Glacier Bay.