[Rocky Pass, Kuiui Island, AK, Aug 2, 2024]

Woke up to sunny skies off of Kuiu island. This is the 15th largest island in the US. As of the 2020 census, there are 10 people living here.

We did a guided kayak around the bay. Close to shore, we saw Sitka black tailed deer (smaller than regular deer) a bald eagle, sea porpoise, otters.

We also saw some black oystercatchers! They would have been impossible to spot except for their bright red beak.

Somehow, Olivia and I continued to be the slowest kayak of them all, even the older people! We especially struggled at the end where the currents and winds picked up and it was quite the workout to get back to our boat. But we had a great time!

After the kayak, it was time for the hot tub!

In the afternoon, we got on land again to do another bushwhack. This one was much easier than the first one I did. Even so, Olivia was quite displeased. It was definitely her least favorite activity on the trip. I also definitely prefer established trails, but the weather was so nice! It was downright hot.

One of the plants we encountered here was yarrow. Also known as achillea millefolium, it has medicinal properties and it can stop a bleed. Its name comes from Greek myth about Achilles. Supposedly, his mother dipped him in a concoction made with this plant. His mother held him by the heel as she dipped him, hence the heel was his only vulnerable spot. Yarrow is pretty common in high latitudes of the northern hemisphere in the boreal zone.

For both of our meals that day, we sat with the lovely couple Sam and Linda from Raleigh, NC. They had many travel storied to share. After the cruise, they were heading to Jasper National Park in Canada by train. The area had just been ravaged by a huge wildfire, and they were anxious to find out how much of their trip they were going to be able to complete.

Later in the night, the northern lights showed up again! At this rate, I was going to start expecting it every night!