It’s Sunday morning, and we are free to sightsee before they come to take us to the Mist Cove, the name of the boat that 24 of us will be traveling on for the next week. A reminder: we will be taking the Inland Passage, starting in Sitka and ending up in Juneau, Alaska.
Fred and I stole our grandson, Nate, from his parents, and walked across the harbor that was packed with fishing vessels, through the rain forest park and up to the Raptor Center. This is both a clinic for injured raptors, and an indoor/outdoor museum of eagles, owls and falcons in various stages of mending from their injuries.
Injured raptors come in from all over Alaska. 80% of the injuries come from something to do with humans – power lines, cars, even airplane engines. Believe it or not, one eagle, aptly named “Lucky,” was nursed back to health after going through a propeller engine!
The interior of the main building is a large habitat for recuperating eagles, complete with ponds, trees, and perches. They keep lots of road kill and fish available, because if food were to become scarce the eagles would become territorial over it and begin to fight. The female eagles are the largest, weighing from 7 to 14 lbs. The males are smaller.
The raptors whose injuries keep them from ever flying again are in spacious outdoor habitats, with walkways between then. Prominently displayed is a sign that points out that this is also the natural habitat of bears, so to be on the alert!
We walked back to the hotel in time for our pick up at 2:00 p.m. Duffle bags were loaded on a van, and a couple of crew members walked us all through town to the docks where the Mist Cove was waiting.
The crew only has one night, Saturday, between groups, but the boat was immaculate and everyone mustered to greet us. The bright work and the brasses all over the ship were shining.
Our cabins are on two decks amidships, with kayak and skiff storage and Captain Eric’s pilot house also on the top deck. On the main deck behind the cabins is a spacious lounge, and behind that the fan tail where all meals are served. It is enclosed with plastic curtains that keep the cold air out but allow you to see the view.
The table is of an ingenious design that makes it easy to talk to those both around and across from you.
Dinner was superb, and we went to bed so excited it was hard to get to sleep. Nate, our adorable, talkative, curious seven-year-old grandson in the bunk above us, was positively quivering with excitement!
