Coming into Warm Springs from Security Bay, the low hanging clouds made for a cruise full of wildlife and very still, dreamlike surface waters. Once we were all tied up and the raft was settled, we started planning our afternoon adventures to the lake the hot springs, getting excited for the time we get to share on our lay day here in Warm Springs.

Exploring around our anchored fleet we spotted an eagle’s nest in the tree line and watched two eaglets get fed pieces of a freshly caught fish; it felt like a real treat of a wildlife viewing. Winding down after our first day here in Warm Springs, we all watched the sun dip below the peaks around us and tucked into bed excited to do our adventures all over again.

The next morning a group of us made our way up to Baranof Lake, walking past the private bath houses and natural springs along the trail. Excited for the pit stop, a few of us plan to make on our way back down from the lake.

Along the trail, everyone shared stories, laughs, and favorite memories we’ve made together so far alongside dreaming about what we are still looking forward to with the adventures to come.

As we traversed a bit further, we realized the environment we have stepped into is a muskeg! A beautifully unique environment created by glacial activity, consisting of partially decomposed plant matter and boggy characteristics that makes for a stunning array of flora.

Up at the lake a few of us took a dip and others played around in the frigid waters, keeping warm by the thoughts of our time to come soaking in the hot spring water.

Back at the raft we got ready for our fleet BBQ; everyone gathering together on the back of boats. Sharing drinks, we lit the grill for an afternoon’s work of a classic summer’s dinner.

As we spent time chatting and finishing our dinners, our eyes grew wide and our jaws dropped as a humpback whale surfaced right in front of the raft. We all rushed to our bows (safely) and caught an incredible sight, turning to each other with the biggest smiles on our faces as this moment was the absolute cherry on top of our stay here in Warm Springs Bay.