5 fingers lighthouse

Up early to kayak around Hobart’s Bay before breakfast—an old logging operation there. Then underway south in Frederick Sound - (Dall porpoises around the boat and more whales!) and a stop at 5 Fingers Lighthouse on a small island (one of 5 together), the site of the first lighthouse in Alaska which opened in 1902 and burned down in 1933 to be replaced under the Roosevelt’s WPA in 1935. The concrete art deco geometric design was used on all (we saw another ) Alaskan lighthouses established in the 30’s and it’s use in architecture was prominent only on the coast of Alaska. (like no other lighthouse I've seen...)It was the last in Alaska to be unmaned, now powered by solar panels. The Juneau Lighthouse Association’s intent is to preserve, maintain,. and make this site accessible to the public. So we asked if we could visit. The usual ramp for landing on the island was broken so we had to scramble up some sharp rocks (One of the women, YOUNGER than I, commented that this might be about the end of her “adventure” travels. No one said they couldn’t do it, everyone just followed along. :-) ) We met Fred, a character living there by himself and conducting whale research on whale sounds and what they mean. He cleaned up the stairs to the light so we could have the view. Managed to scramble back down the rocks. Saw sea lions and eagles nearby. And more Dall porpoises loving running under our bow after we were underway…

Later in the day we took a walk to a waterfall, along a very slippery rocky path. The waterfall was lovely, but several (well, 3) of us opted to not make the same slippery trek back but wait for the zodiac to come pick us up on the beach at the foot of the falls.

More motoring to Scenery Bay for another very late dinner….whew, enough for one day!

more on flickr day 7