In mid-June the Snow Goose made its annual northbound voyage from Bellingham, Washington to Glacier Bay, Alaska. The wind and the currents fully cooperated, pushing the boat northbound to Petersburg in only four days. We were a day ahead of schedule and used the extra time to explore new anchorages and inlets along the way. Throughout this journey we also made stops at familiar sites, including Baranof Warm Springs and the Hidden Falls Fish Hatchery on Baranof Island.
The Snow Goose crossing Chatham Strait with the Baranof Lake outlet in the distance.
Along the way, we heard stories of humpback whales feeding on young fish right off the Hidden Falls Hatchery dock. At Baranof we got the scoop about the local whales from the folks at the Alaska Whale Foundation (AWF). Humpbacks have been known to lurk near net pens at the hatchery to snack on young salmon when they are released into the ocean. In an attempt to outsmart the whales, the hatchery has begun dragging net pens across Chatham Strait to Admiralty Island.
Baranof is a small town on built on stilts and boardwalks near the Baranof Lake outlet.
Alaska Whale Foundation Coastal Research and Education Center in Baranof.
Despite their efforts, biopsy samples collected by the AWF show that the whales are still feeding on Hidden Falls hatchery fish. Three months ago, a graduate fellow working with AWF spent a cold, damp night camping on a net pen to observe & document the feeding habits of humpbacks at Hidden Falls.
To learn more about humpbacks in Chatham Strait and see incredible photos of the whales feeding near the hatchery, visit the AWF blog: http://bit.ly/AWF-blog.
Snow Goose Alaska 