We had another glorious morning departure from Fitzgibbon cove.  The green hillsides were reflected crisply in the glassy water.  Pigeon Guillemots, Marbled Murrelets and seals fished around the cove.  It was a completely quiet and calm morning.  Since we didn’t have far to go, we enjoyed a slow morning and departed around 9am.  We enjoyed a calm, clear cruise to Walker cove.

Walker cove was spectacular.  The cove was a long, deep, winding fjord with a small anchorage near the back.  Steep cliffs lined each side of the valley.  Somehow the spruce, cedar and hemlock managed to hang on to these vertical walls.  Waterfalls, eagles, and lush, dense forest kept us entertained as we cruised up the narrow fjord.

Once near the back of the fjord we set about trying to find a suitable spot to anchor.  Even just a few yards from the shore we had over 500ft below us!  The fleet had been here before though and knew a good place to look for shallower water, so before long we were safely settled in for the night.  After a quick lunch, it was time to head out and explore our incredible surroundings.

Dinghy tours revealed an almost overwhelmingly wild and beautiful landscape.  We watched a young brown bear feed on the shoreline for 10 or 15 minutes.  We were able to paddle in close on our dinghies and he did not seem to mind us quietly watching him.  What an unforgettable experience to observe these amazing animals in the wild.  A tour up the nearby stream led to more bear sightings for some.  Don and Carlyne had a wonderful encounter watching a bear catch a salmon and have his dinner, all from their kayaks!

The river itself was full of pink salmon.  A short exploration along the river banks showed more signs of recent bear activity.  We followed along the shore watching eagles soar overhead, and admiring the steep cliff walls that surrounded us in all directions.  This is a truly wild and special place, and we were all feeling a bit under its spell.  How grateful we feel that places like this exist and that we are here to explore them in this unique way that so few people get to experience.

The evening finished up with dinners back on board.  We are getting used to traveling together as a group.  It is nice to be able to pop over next door for a cup of flour, lemon, bottle of wine or whatever one might need.  Emily led us in some yoga stretches this evening.  And the evening turned out to be clear and even partly sunny, a nice break from these Misty Fjords!