Sentinels of the Sky
Auke Bay Homecoming
There’s a certain rhythm to returning to Auke Bay after a long day on the water. The hum of the engine softens as the harbor comes into view, and before the boat even reaches the docks, the bald eagles appear—circling high above, sharp eyes fixed below. They know what’s coming. The fishermen are home, and with them, the promise of an easy meal.
These eagles are sentinels of the harbor, patient and precise. They follow in from the open water, waiting for scraps from the day’s catch. Behind it all, the Tongass National Forest stretches endlessly in every direction—dark spruce meeting the distant Mendenhall Glacier, its icy blues revealed even from miles away. It’s a view that never fails to stir something deep, a reminder that even routine moments here are wrapped in wild beauty.
As we tie off at the dock, I can’t help but think back to my childhood—walking the docks with friends, a creamsicle from DeHart’s melting faster than I could eat it, watching the bald eagles wheel over the harbor. Back then, I didn’t realize how lucky I was to grow up surrounded by such magic. Now, every time I return, it feels like the land, the sea, and the wings above are all saying the same thing: Welcome home.
