Sunday, July 8

Sunday started with an hour of yoga on deck at 7 AM. After breakfast, we headed out on a walk on a former logging road and saw a lot of interesting geological formations and a huge variety of wildflowers, moss and lichens. On our way back we found the remains of a doe that had apparently been killed by a bear just out of hibernation and hungry: not much was left except the vertebrae, part of the skull and ribs, a couple of hooves and most of the fur. The bear didn't waste much. After lunch I went out kayaking, which was quite a production: regular clothes, plus rainproof pants, plus a jacket, a kayak "skirt" with overall-type straps and which fits over the hole in the kayak to keep water out, and finally a lifejacket. Then I remembered that my camera was zipped into a pocket several layers down. Oops.

What the well-dressed kayaker is wearing this season.

Once I got out into the water it was beautiful and peaceful. All they asked was that you stay within sight of the boat and not go too close to shore. Moose and bear, they informed us, can swim faster than you can paddle.



Out on the kayak.

We both took advantage of the hikes offered. Ron and I both took one on an old logging road that was level and easy to navigate.



Taking a hike; Ron is 4th from left.

I later took the hike to El Capitan Caves, which included a long climb up the mountain and a tour led by a National Parks Service employee named Blaise, a self-described "cave geek". We needed hats with lights on the front to see anything once we got into the cave.

The 367-step stairway really made the climb easier- and protected the forest floor.



Stalactites.

Human bones dating back thousands of years have been found in the caves. More on El Capitan caves here.