More bubblenet feeding

Spent a long time this afternoon watching Humpback whales doing bubblenet feeding. Could watch from shore thru a spotting scope. It looked like 9 whales feeding. Several whale watching boats were stopped close by the whales. Each time the whales dived to prepare for next bubblenet, I watched the birds. The birds would fly around and as it came time for the whales to surface the birds would group together and then rush to the spot where the whales were going to surface. That sure made it easier to be looking at the right spot as the whales erupted up thru the bubblenet. What a delight to see!

Am taking a weaving class at UAS Sitka from my mentor week of July 23. It is a mini-reunion. Seeing museum weavings thru her eyes is fascinating. I wove a lovely little medicine bag while there. Went over to Sitka on the fast ferry Fairweather with my RV and stayed at the Sealing Cove RV parking lot.

Went out to the Mendenhall Glacier yesterday to check for salmon in the streams. No salmon yet so no bears to watch yet either. The forest service has built elevated trails and when the bears are there catching salmon we can watch from above. The bears are busy filling their tummies and ignore tourists on the walkway above them.

Sunshine continues!!! Had a minus tide this morning and wandered the beach out at Sunshine Cove with my neighbor. A lot of construction work happening out near 33 mile with blasting, road widening and heavy equipment, pilot cars and waiting. Blasting was to happen today between noon and 5pm. We passed thru that area before blasting was scheduled and had short waits of 10 - 30minutes. Once finished the road will be wider with shoulders beyond the white line. We had fun exploring the beach that surfaced at the minus tide. Later, this afternoon I walked with another friend to Nugget Falls out by the Mendenhall Glacier. A lot of people there and several were getting ready to swim in the kettle ponds that are shallow and get warmer than the lake with icebergs. A lot of ice floating in the lake today. Wild flowers seen today that I can name: lupine, yarrow, buttercup, lily pads and dwarf fireweed.

100th Year Celebration of Alaska's Governor Mansion. The Mansion was open to the public today for tours to see the renovation followed by a party on the north lawn. Amazing! A party on the north lawn and it did not rain. It was a fun event. I bought a book titled: "White House of the North" with pictures and stories of life in the mansion.

My cousin came thru Juneau on his way home after paddling canoe down the Yukon River over a 1000 miles to Galena. His canoe was sent on ahead from Anchorage. He was on his way to Whitehorse to get car and head home. We rode ferry to Skagway and I drove him to Whitehorse. I am staying in Whitehorse a few days enjoying the drier weather and will head home from Skagway Monday. Went to see the Baringia Museum about life here when Mammoths roamed and North America was connected via land to Asia. A fascinating museum and well worth admission to visit.

Juneau fireworks were a beautiful display with echoes rebounding off mountains. Juneau sets off the fireworks at midnight July 3, then Juneau and Douglas have parades and other events on the 4th.

Walked with a friend out the Scout Camp trail yesterday. This is the same trail walked with visiting family a week earlier. All same flowers in bloom with more now. There were many more yellow paint brush and large groupings of purple wild iris among the lupine, chocolate lily, false lily-of-the-valley, beach pea, cow parsley, water hemlock, nagoonberry, yellow-its, foam flower, winter green..........that is all I remember. The weather was cool and overcast, but not rainy. Another of the scout campouts was ending and there was a lot of traffic on the trail getting supplies back and forth. Talked with a local I had met the week before. He was finishing his 3rd week cooking and bringing supplies to the camps. Scouts come from all over the U.S. to camp here.

Zoom in on the other whale photo too. I spotted 4 whales diving. Can you see more?