Exploring the intertidal

Every two weeks during new and full moons, the tide flows out of China Poot Bay far enough to reveal the lower intertidal zone. This area of the beach is not often exposed and is full of incredible creatures. Nudibranchs, like the one above, glide along and eat anemones and sponges. Hermit crabs, like the one below, battle for new shells and search for food. Octopus can be seen tucked into their dens waiting for the water to return.

This week at the lodge, we hosted a group of fourth graders from Homer studying marine biology and tidal ecology. Even those who live in Homer rarely get the chance to explore the intertidal world on this side of Kachemak Bay.

The past few days have been a reminder to me to make an effort to explore the beauty of the places we live. Every environment has unique treasures. My hope is that when people leave China Poot Bay, they go home more connected to the world around them and more aware of the mysteries that are waiting under every rock; that exploring this place will lead to more adventure in daily life.  

Harbingers of spring

Finally, on a warm south facing slope, I saw the first flowers of the season this afternoon. The tide has been low enough to allow for some beautiful beach hikes, and Jenni spotted these Alaska Violets growing on the rocks today. Their bright blue flowers pop out in sharp contrast to the orange lichens and grey chert that define the colors of the cliffs around the lodge. In addition to the violets, we found Lyre-Leaf Rock Cress, pictured below, and red currents with bright green leaves.

The Alaskan summer is short and intense. For the next few months, new blossoms will appear in the meadows and the forest and on the steep rocky slopes every week. New leaves and green grass will soon fill the landscape.

The flowers mark both the beginning and end of the growing season in Kachemak Bay. With these first blooms, it has begun. When the Fireweed blossoms go to seed in September, it will have reached its end. 

Searching for Saxifrage

 

Earthquake Point is high above China Poot Bay just a couple miles from the Kachemak Bay Wilderness Lodge. From there, you can see the front and back of the bay and the many channels formed when the tide is out. It’s a beautiful place to watch the water move. 

I hiked there recently to see if the first flowers had bloomed on the slope above the cliffs. To get to the point itself, you have to step over a deep fissure in the bedrock that cracked open in 1964 during a 9.2 earthquake and gave the point its name. Although there were no flowers yet, the south facing slope receives abundant sun during our already long days and will soon be full of Saxifrage. 

Kachemak Bay is a place filled with soft pastels throughout the year, but the flowers of summer interject brilliant colors not seen in any other season. From wild Alaskan iris to sweet smelling roses and a surprising variety of orchids, there are flowers of every shape, size and hue. I’ll go back to Earthquake Point soon to search for the small flowers that make the mountain views even more magnificent. 

 

Taking time

The weather has been wonderful the last couple weeks. The sun combined with the recent low tide series has led me to do some exploring. A few days ago, I decided to hike as far back into China Poot Bay as I could along the beach. Although I’ve passed the cliffs on the shore many times in a kayak, this was the first time I explored them on foot. 

I took the time to walk into every cave and enjoy the view looking back out toward the bay. The last cave I came to was stunning from the outside, but as I walked to the back of the cave the walls began to glow. I was there at just the right moment, when the setting sun hit the last remaining icicles and turned them bright orange. As I took the picture below, golden droplets falling from the ice reflected the light and the plink pluck of dripping water echoed off the cave walls.

This experience reminded me of how much the bay truly has to offer. It’s so easy to pass by places of mystery and beauty when you’re moving quickly. It’s so rewarding to take the time to explore the hidden places we so often pass by. 

Who's on deck?

 

On the deck in front of the Kachemak Bay Wilderness Lodge, you can let the world come to you. When the tide is in, ducks and otters float by just a few yards away. When the tide is out, an incredible intertidal zone reveals itself and eagles walk along the sand bars.

This is an amazing place to enjoy on a sunny day. I appreciate it most when I can combine the beauty of the landscape with exquisite food and wine; food that makes your palate light up and wine that perfectly complements the delicate flavors of fine food. Combining the vast wilderness and abundant wildlife visible in every direction with a marvelous meal is an experience that engages all senses. 

Sharing the experience with friends and family makes it that much more meaningful. Words often don’t even have to be exchanged. There are few places in the world I would rather be with loved ones.

 

Breakup

In China Poot Bay, March was in with a chill and out with a drip. Although the ice still clings to the cliffs, everyday it melts from underneath. I stared at the water flowing under this ice sheet for quite a while; tadpoles swimming in a pond.

Each day the sun shines, more of the forest opens up for exploration. I'm filled with anticipation for the berries and flowers soon to come. Sometimes it's difficult to remember to appreciate the beauty of the ice we have left.

On north facing cliffs, icicles and chert flow in the same direction. Occasionally, frost still makes the morning sparkle. If it weren't for the lingering snow, I wouldn't be able to track the paths of the squirrels through the trees. Spring will come, but for a patient observer this fleeting world of transition is well worth watching.

A new sunset

"Heracleitus says, you know, that all things move and nothing remains still, and he likens the universe to the current of a river, saying that you cannot step twice into the same stream." 

-Plato, Cratylus 402a as translated by Harold N. Fowler

Every day that I walk the beach in China Poot Bay, it is a new beach. New life has floated in on the tide and detritus has washed out. Every time I walk the trails, new tracks have been made in the snow. These days, I'm keeping an eye out for the first signs of bear.

Every sunset in every place is a unique event. It is the first and last time that sunset will ever be seen. Although I have already posted pictures of the sunset in China Poot Bay, I have never seen the sun play through the clouds in quite the way it did yesterday.