This past summer the kids got to experience a day in a coastal rain forest that abuts the jagged cliffs jutting into the Gulf of Alaska. Again like most of our adventures this one took 5 minutes to get to because it is less then a mile up the road. Here we are entering the trail.
Mist lingers in the forest canopy- many lichen and moss species live in the branches of these Sitka Spruce trees, a tree that can only grow near the ocean in temperate areas. It is estimated that 7-10 percent of the total biomass in these forests is from the lichens and mosses that grow there. They are therefore an important sink for atmospheric carbon. (this brought to you by The Sheep's wife)
A close-up view of what she just said.
These are Salmonberries (Rubus spectabilis). The berries range in color from orange to purple, but are usually the red you see here. They are edible and tasty. The leaves make for a nice astringent when steeped in water and used like witch hazel. The Sheep's Wife has noticed that Alaskan salmonberries are much sweeter and tastier than those of the NW. Dunno why, but she's working on it...
Another stop, turn, pose and smile shot.
After a sweaty hike mostly uphill we came to jagged cliffs overlooking Miller Pt. The cool ocean breeze was refreshing and we sat around watching for whales, a common sight here and eating some snacks for instant energy for the return trip back.
After about 5 minutes of soaking up the sun and cool breeze we spotted our first whale of the day. This Eastern Pacific Grey Whale along with the rest of the Greys have a nice life. They winter over in Baja Cali and then return to the waters in Alaska, a yearly trip of 16,000 miles. The kids saw about 15 to 20 Grey and Humpbacks during their trip here.
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