July 5

Sunlight illuminated our watery world this morning, third day in a row. We scurried to get ready for a short excursion up the Eye of the Needle,  a five mile narrow estuary of primal overhanging hemlock, Sitka Spruce and  Alder among small islets and a journey back through time.  The water was like glass and the Zodiak noisily transported us there and back again. 

We didn't see the black grizzly so we took a short walk on his beach, curious what it may have been eating last evening.  All this fun stuff found us leaving too late.  Subsequently, we ran into heavy following seas once we reached the outside of the bay.  Three to five foot seas with wind gusts up to18 knots had us bouncing and jogging against side hitting waves.  The seals seemed to love it.  I watched them surfing off waves, and come up munching a fish.  A humpback jumped completed out of the water, up and over and plunged head first,  just off our bow.  After a few hours of failed attempts to sail, we decided to shorten our day and harbor in Port Malmsbury just north of Cape Decision.  

Along the way, a half mile off shore, I noticed a honey bee resting on the starboard side transom.  I went below to retrieve my honey jar and poured some out for her.  She went to it immediately and fed for nearly 30 minutes, later, I gave her water.  She drank then rested.  By the time we were anchored, she had left us to find her sisters.  I just hope she doesn't do a bee dance telling them to visit us soon.

Tim rowed us to shore, I picked hemlock tips and harvested beach asparagus  while Tim found a leaf fossil in mudstone.  He left it on the beach for another explorer to discover.  This island is vastly different from Baranof.  The emerald gullies remind me of the Napali Coast, the hills not so high and the snow pockets nearly all melted.  

Again, we are surrounded by those 80 pound denizens of the kelp beds, and another whale appears to be scratching itself on the shore ledge across the channel from our anchorage.  Dinner is barbecued  salmon, on the deck, full sun, oh my.