Sitka Again

 This last trip was really nice and also really crazy.  Nothing went to plan.  It started in Glacier Bay, and we had two days in the park and went to Lamplugh and then to Gloomy Knob.  I did the gloomy knob hike and it was fantastic, with a great view, and lots of altitude.

 We got way up and the sunshine was beaming and we looked out at fairweather

 The trip back was steep and tough, but we made it.  Then we drove around and saw a bear

 and some puffins

 Then we went to Bartlett Cove and walked around the trail and found some porcupines.  This one is a ghost...

 This one was super cute.

 The spruces are pollinating and we found clouds of pollen everywhere

 Here's Ted on his Birthday...

 And during a transit the next day, another guide, Jake

 I drove a skiff up the river at Idaho Inlet and saw a bear.

 And we had a nice friendly otter at Takatz

 Then after the otters, we found some Orcas

 And they chased a sea lion up to our boat

 The poor sea lion came alongside and tried to hide in our noise

 But kept a fearful eye under water

 But the orcas got him in the end and splashed their triumph.

 Then in Pavlof we found a nice bear

 And in the Magouns we had the resident eagle again

 as well as some Yellowlegs

 the anchor chain broke and we lost the anchor, so we had to go to Sitka early, so we went to Fortress of the Bear, a rescue place for bears.  Some of them are huge, and they are easy to see close up

 And here is a black bear in a tree.  This is a place you could spend hours and hours just watching the bears from.