Two dib rides, more kayaking, more wildlife sightings
Where archaeological evidence has revealed people were living 10,000 years ago, although today, the wilderness rules.
Friday morning in Red Bluff Bay
We reached the eastern shores of Baranof Island in the early morning and cruised into Red Bluff Bay after breakfast. (Note, much of the island is officially Sitka. The town of Sitka is on the west side of the island.) We were out on the first dib and cruised along the shore (where we saw jellyfish), got close to the several hundred-foot cascade fed by Mt. Harden, and checked out the end of the bay (where we saw a couple of harbor seals).
Back on board, we decided to try our hand at kayaking again. We went back to the end of the bay first, as others had seen bear there. We did not. Then we kayaked along the shore for another visit to the cascades. We got pics of a jellyfish or 2, but not good ones. It took us a bit longer to get to the cascades under our own power vs the dib, especially paddling against the tide and the wind. Cruising back to the boat with the tide and wind was less work.
We were a tad late to lunch, watching the scenary as we cruised back out of Red Bluff Bay, and finally figured out why it was so named! Then we headed north along the shore of Baranof Island in Chatham Straits, while we lunched and attended our last onboard lecture.
Visit to the cascades on the dib 
End of Red Bluff Bay, as the tide was just starting to come in 
End of Red Bluff Bay in the kayak only about 90 minutes later. Tide comes in pretty fast 
Heading back up the bay in the kayak, to the cascades and boats…looks SO FAR AWAY! 
Cruising back out of Red Bluff Bay 
AH! THAT’s why it’s called Red Bluff Bay!
Cruising on around Baranof Island
One more stop on the eastern shore of Baranof Island in the afternoon, where we took our last dib tour in Kasnyku Bay to see the Hidden Falls Hatchery (for Chum, Chinook, Coho). The Chum Salmon are returning, so we saw them, the bears feeding on them and the hatchery. As we then continued our cruise north, we saw more Humpback Whales. At the Captain’s Banquet that night, he told us that our trip had more whale sightings than any other trip he’d been on. NOT to mention the best weather!
Mark looking for bear as we approached the fishery in the dib 
Chum Salmon jumping in Kasnyku Bay 
First bear (and cub) sighting in Kasnyku Bay 
Hidden Falls Hatchery 
Another Mama Bear & 3 cubs (must have been a GOOD WINTER) 
Caught the tail of one Humpback Whale as we watched a few swimming around us 
Another beautiful day in Alaska…packed and ready to disembark after breakfast the next morning
For more pictures (later), see Adventure Album: Alaska!
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