Warm Springs

July 15th
Anchored again near Piper Island and got a quick peek of the grizzly cubs that we had seen about a week ago. We tied to a moorage buoy - that is the easy way to go. The next morning we got up and dingyed around the island and saw the cubs again - no mama bear! It was a beautiful morning on the water.

July 16
Headed towards Peril Strait, past Sergius Narrows, Poison Cove and Deadman's Reach. Sounded ominous to us...but come to find out the reason it is named such frightening names was back in 1799 during the Russian occupation some Aleut hunters were on their way from Sitka to Kodiak, when they found and ate quantities of mussels and later over 100 of them died from paralytic shellfish poisoning. No seafood for us for dinner tonight! Actually, we did try a new halibut recipe given to us by a lady in Sitka. She told us to boil the halibut in Sprite and it would taste like lobster - and it kinda did!!

July 17

We came to the aid of a sailing vessel today. A couple from San Francisco radioed that they were having difficulties with their engine. We were following them to a secure anchorage - just in case their engine quit. We had to retrace our direction, but they were so thankful not to be left alone out here. The search and rescue boat finally met us and escorted them to a safe harbor. We turned around and headed for Baranoff Warm Springs. We arrived about 7:00 pm to a beautiful little village set right next to a thunderous waterfall. We anchored near the entrance to the salt lagoon and near the falls. A very popular place with lots of fishing boats at the dock. Lovely evening and lots of activity to watch. I am beginning to get quite good at using my binoculars and concocting stories about our fellow boaters. My idea of a "boaters soap opera", Mike is thrilled.

July 18
Got up and decided to hike up to the Warm Springs. We pulled on our rubber boots and walked up the board walk through the beautiful, lush forests to a small, rooty path that led out to some rock pools. There was a fisherman from Lopez already enjoying a soak, but we quickly joined him and it was ...hot. There were a few different pools that led closer and closer to the waterfall. The last pool was about as big as a tire and deep and if you laid with your rear end in the pool you could reach your arms out over the cliff and feel the power of the waterfall cascading past you, with the spray misting the air and cooling off your face - what a feeling. There are some things you just put in your "happy" memory bank and they will always be there - I will always remember what joy I felt experiencing the waterfall at Baranoff. Before we left we dingyed through a shallow passage into the salt lagoon. Through the narrow passage we saw the most beautiful sea anemonies on the bottom. We left later in the day and motored down the coastline to Red Bluff Bay. We arrived late and set our shrimp pot. We anchored in a cove full of waterfalls. The waterfalls came off every mountain in our sight - I do love waterfalls.