TRAVELS IN ALASKA
Part One: Travel In Southeast Alaska
I was motivated to travel in Southeast Alaska by a strong desire to experience this vast wilderness. My plan was to explore Alaska’s forests, glaciers and mountains. The urge to be amongst wolves, bears and caribou herds had led me there. When I got there I discovered much more about the Alaskan way of life than I bargained for.
My objective was to scout out three distinct areas of Alaska: the islands of the coastal rainforest in the Southeast, home to the salmon fishing Alexander Archipelago wolf; the remote Southwest, the land of the largest brown bears on the planet; and finally the tundra, taiga and mountains of the Interior where the caribou roam in vast herds.
Regardless of wildlife being timid in some places and bold in others, I respected the welfare of animals at all times. Hunting pressure makes approaching some species problematic. Acquiring local knowledge was vital to achieve many images. Bear safety skills are paramount, but can get in the way of stalking around unnoticed. Photographing from boats, vehicles and planes helped create different perspectives.
You can’t help but feel small and insignificant amidst such grandeur. Showing animals in their landscape was the most powerful way I could find to express my impression of wild Alaska.
JUNEAU
As Mendenhall Glacier is a short drive from downtown Juneau in Southeast Alaska. Mendenhall Glacier was my first taste of Southeast Alaska, even amidst the coach-loads of cruise ship holidaymakers that flood the visitor centre, it is possible to get a flavour of the Alaskan wilderness by following the trails up into the forest and watch the timeless scene of spawning salmon as they dig their redds in their clear natal streams.
As the glacier retreats, bare rock is left behind onto which seeds and spores of moss are carried by the wind. Alder, willow and cottonwood tree seeds will then start to grow. These plants fix nitrogen into the nutrient-poor soil. The process of plant succession is completed with the arrival of spruce and hemlock trees creating an old growth forest, which provides habitat for an increasing number of plants and animal species.
Muskeg is a vital ecosystem found across Southeast Alaska. It forms because permafrost, clay or bedrock prevents water drainage. The water from rain and snow collects, forming permanently waterlogged vegetation and stagnant pools. Berries such as cranberry, lingonberry, blueberries, and cloudberry grow abundantly on muskeg, making this a favoured habitat for bears getting ready for hibernation. Beavers, muskrat and river otter all make use of the muskeg’s wetland habitat.
Muskegs are a vital resource for waterfowl and wading birds as they depend on them as sites for breeding, feeding, moulting, nesting, migration pit-stops and wintering. This home to a multitude of invertebrates, fish and amphibians, has also proved to be a rich and dependable year-round resource to Alaska Native peoples.
A QUEST FOR BEARS
It wasn’t until my second week into my trip that I was able to track down a good place to photograph black bears. I’d walked along their tracks in the coastal rainforest, seen where they’d scratched the bark of the tall trees, where they’d left their scat and also seen them cross the road as I drove through the forests.
I’d listened to anecdotes from locals and fishermen visiting from the Lower 48, about black bears fishing for salmon a few metres away from them. One beautiful stretch of river that was recommended to me was next to a native Alaskan settlement, within 10 minutes of arriving I had my first close encounter with not just one black bear, but two – a large sow with her single cub. Within the space of an hour I’d photographed 5 individuals working the opposite river bank.
Black bears (Ursus americanus) are opportunistic feeders, when they emerge from hibernation in spring their diet consists mainly of fresh green vegetation and switches to the seasonally abundant salmon in the summer. However, if it is a good year for berries they will favour muskeg areas for feeding.
SITKA
One of the highlights of my travel in Southeast Alaska was spending time with Paul Davis, owner of Gallant Adventures, looking for whales in the waters around Sitka. Paul is a great guy and knows how to operate responsibly amongst the marine life. We had some awesome encounters with humpback whales as they came to investigate us while we drifted quietly on the sea.
Sea otters can be very difficult to photograph in parts of Alaska, because they are subject to harvesting by Alaska Natives living along the North Pacific or Arctic Ocean. Marine mammals are of cultural importance to Alaska Native peoples, which is the justification for allowing this exemption to the ban on hunting sea otters and other endangered marine mammals.
The sea otters are therefore wary of any boat which approaches and stops for any amount of time. Their usual response is to dive and keep a low profile when surfacing. The trick I learned in Southeast Alaska, is take photos of sea otters without stopping the boat. If you’re lucky you will be able to document some of their natural behaviour, such as grooming.
