Day 9 | Alaska Flotilla Leg 3 | Bay of Pillars to Explorer Basin

After weeks of sun, we finally awoke to overcast. With a short run and a good forecast, we weren’t in any rush to leave, and eventually pulled the anchors around 9:00 a.m.

Early (dark) morning as we left Bay of Pillars

Not long after leaving Bay of Pillars, an active humpback surprised Airship as it breached several times about 100 yards from the boat! 

 

Explorer Basin is a large bay at the entrance to even-larger Tebenkof Bay. We anchored in the southeast corner and set off in the dinghies to explore further in. Like Bay of Pillars, the scenery here is low and rugged. We could easily spend a week in Tebenkof, poking into little nooks and finding new anchorages. We spotted three bears on shore, but they were all quite skittish and trundled into the woods without letting us get too close.

Black bear on shore in Explorer Basin

Back on the raft we had everyone over for tostadas for dinner…a fun twist on taco night!

Jester with evening sky