Chatham Strait & Lake Eva, 9/3/2019, National Geographic Sea Bird
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Bird
Alaska
We started our two-week photo expedition sailing through Chatham Strait. This vast area is a popular feeding ground for humpback whales. Way out in the distance, about five miles into the horizon, we saw a group of columnar blows. We made our way in that direction, across Chatham Strait, and we realized that we’d found what we were looking for. We were fortunate to start the first morning of our journey watching bubble-netting humpback whales! We spent some time with a group of four that broke the water’s surface in a spectacular way as they consumed a school of herring. At one point, we could see a massive ring of bubbles right off our bow. The bubbles gradually became a closed circle, and then four whales exploded from out of the middle.
After the spectacular whale watching, we headed back toward Baranof Island, to one of our favorite landings called Lake Eva. We deployed kayaks and ventured into the forest to explore the well-maintained trails. We had a great introduction to the temperate rainforest and found out way to a beautiful salmon stream, teeming with life. In the clear water, pink, chum, and a few sockeye salmon were swimming. The highlight for many was seeing coastal brown bears in their natural habitat. We saw one swimming and then walking back into the forest. Another group had a brief encounter with a mother bear and her cub.
From our kayaks, we saw several harbor seals with heads peeking out of the water before they dove back in to fish for salmon. The water was calm and the conditions were excellent. What a peaceful time we had, floating on the ocean and listening to the sounds of the forest. We started our expedition in Southeast Alaska with a day full of highlights.
Alberto fell in love with nature as a young child. Born and raised in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico, he spent most of his childhood exploring the Chairlel Lagoon and the Tamesi River. Each morning he would patiently wait in his rowboat for sunrise to w...
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After a comfortable evening sail through Johnstone Strait, we arrived in Tenedos Bay within the Desolation Sound Marine Park just prior to sunrise. The morning views were spectacular with wispy bands of mist on the tree-covered mountains, clear skies, and a hint of orange in the sky reflecting off the glassy waters as the sun rose. Many guests enjoyed the early morning views from all decks as oystercatchers and belted kingfishers sounded off with the rising sun. Conditions couldn’t have been more perfect for kayaking and standup paddleboarding in the morning. The calm waters made for a beautifully peaceful yet aerobic paddle as we explored around a small island within Tenedos Bay. Amongst the red cedars and the Douglas firs, the sunlight highlighted the red bark of the Pacific madrones, locally known here as arbutus trees. These trees are becoming much more prevalent as we journey southward on this, “Remarkable Journey: Alaska, British Columbia, and Haida Gwaii. Prior to lunch, the fun continued for both participants and spectators alike during our Polar Plunge! The plunge wear was varied and included a pink Power Ranger suit and a Gumby suit worn by Second Mate Jenna. It was so much fun with laughter and smiles all around, and it made for some fun lunchtime conversations. For the afternoon, we opted to remain anchored at this beautiful place and took scenic Zodiac cruises to explore the area more. Harbor seals, kingfishers, and many oysters were among the nature we spotted. Today was a fantastic final full day on board National Geographic Sea Bird . Experiences and memories that will last have been made during our voyage. Tomorrow morning, we disembark in Vancouver.
Just before the light of day, National Geographic Sea Bird made her way towards Government Dock in Alert Bay on Cormorant Island in British Columbia. Our floating home cruised all night, making her way across Queen Charlotte Sound before finally entering Johnstone Strait at its northernmost end. Cormorant Island is located just south of this location and was our destination. Alert Bay is home to the Namgis band of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation. After docking, we made our way to the U’mista Cultural Center to get acquainted with another of the many Indigenous Nations that make up the northwest coast of North America. We were greeted by several of the people who manage the Cultural Center, and we eventually divided into two groups. One group made its way to the Potlatch Collection, while the other half enjoyed a film from Namgis filmmaker Barbara Cranmer in the upper half of the cultural center. The center was established in 1980 and houses a very important collection of potlatch regalia that was stolen from the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation in 1921 by the Canadian government, which had outlawed potlatches. The potlatch was held on Village Island. The people of Alert Bay petitioned the Canadian government for the return of their stolen regalia and were told, “If you build a museum, we will return your regalia.” The museum was built, and repatriation began. The Namgis people of Alert Bay were among the first to create an interpretive center/museum to tell the story of their treasures from their point of view! Alert Bay became a vocal community from that time forward. Many other Indigenous nations along the northwest coast followed suit by creating interpretive centers to house their own treasures and preserve the Living Cultures of the Northwest Coast peoples for future generations. We arrived in Alert Bay on an unusual day, as there was a community wide power outage from 10 am to 4 pm. This required the U’mista Cultural Center and our natural history staff to design a day of operations without power. At 10 am sharp, the electricity in Alert Bay shut down. Just before then, Bruce Alfred arrived on site and conducted a tour through the Potlatch Collection in the lower end of the Cultural Center. The lights went out, and Bruce kept talking! The staff came down to the collection area and let us know that it was time to exit the Cultural Center. Outside, Bruce gathered us all for an in-depth discussion on carving and the creation of bentwood boxes. He is considered a world expert in this fine art form. With a wicked sense of humor and through a very detailed discussion, Bruce explained the complexity of constructing bentwood construction. A very intricate form of box construction that is more than 5,000 years in age, this style of box continues today with “new” tools introduced by non-natives. As we listened from under the protection of a tent, we watched the fall weather slowly making its way down channel, headed for Alert Bay. Our group made its way back to the ship for lunch. We made a brief stop at the ancestral burial grounds of the Namgis people. We were met by another community member, Brendon, who walked us through the many totem poles and detailed their history and importance. After lunch and hosting several community members on board National Geographic Sea Bird , we gathered once again for a short journey to “Gator Gardens.” This marshy area was renamed Alert Bay’s Ecological Park in 1998. The water is part of a backed up, swampy area that is made by a dam created in 1870 to bring fresh water to several canneries along the waterfront of Alert Bay. Those canneries operated until 1941. It took five years for the top of the hill to flood, eventually killing the trees and creating a bog-like environment that exists to this day with old growth western red cedar trees standing like giant sculptures. The weather finally hit Alert Bay, and rain came down in torrents as we made our way through the forest. We were sheltered from much of the rain under western hemlocks, some of which were old growth trees and mammoth in size! Eventually, we made our way back downhill to the ship. Once everyone was on board, National Geographic Sea Bird made her way south to Blackfish Sound. This area of moving sea currents is home to many marine mammals and seabirds. We made our way through a grey and rainy day with shades of dark green as we watched humpback whales. Seabirds made their living on the rich resources of the ocean water that make up Blackfish Sound and Johnstone Strait. Today was another amazing day exploring the many regions that make up the Inside Passage and the waters inhabited by Indigenous peoples for many thousands of years.
What a day. We woke up to some of the most scenic cruising we’ve experienced so far. North Vancouver Island is a stunning region of British Columbia. Today, the Sunshine Coast lived up to its name with glorious weather. Guests soaked in the sun and lounged on the sundeck as if we were in tropical waters. In the afternoon, we jumped right into Zodiac cruises. Many boats saw harbor seals hauled out on rocks, sunbathing just like us. The clear waters made it easy to see numerous starfish and oyster beds below. After Zodiac cruising, we made it to land to hike along the trail to Unwin Lake. It is our final night, and we ended the evening by watching the guest slideshow and reminding ourselves of all the memories we made. Safe travels to all.