From the National Geographic Sea Bird in Alaska, 5/13/2009, National Geographic Sea Bird

Special Note: This week, we are pleased to welcome Ben Lyons, Chief Officer of the National Geographic Explorer, to the NG Sea Bird in Southeast Alaska. We invite you to follow Lyons in Alaska, a special section of the Lindblad Expeditions Blog.

George Island, Elfin Cove & Inian Islands

Early morning aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird left us feeling a sense of adventure for the coming day! We were making our way out of Idaho Inlet on the northern end of Chichagof Island when we were greeted by several sea otters. One curious sea otter floated within 100 feet of the bow, taking in the ship while basking in the sun.

While enjoying breakfast, we caught a rare glimpse of the snow-capped mountains of the Fairweather Range. They set a fine backdrop for the humpback whales that were spotted during breakfast.

After anchoring at George Island, we watched in anticipation while kayaks and Zodiacs were lowered and we prepared for our hikes.

George Island, located in Cross Sound, was home to an “emergency battery” during World War II and provides great viewing for critters of the ocean deep and intertidal. Kayakers and hikers alike were thrilled to see and hear the (breathing) sounds of humpback whales, somewhat resembling elephants, as they swam near the surface actively displaying their flukes in the calm waters of the Sound. A group of bald eagles and their eaglets soared in the foreground, leaving us in awe of the beauty and serenity of our surroundings.

After George Island, Mary Jo Lord Wild, a 37 year resident of Elfin Cove, joined us onboard to share some of the history of her town, a small fishing village only accessible by float plane or boat. Some of us perused the General Store for postcards while others explored the village, walking via the many boardwalks that connect the village.

We continued onto the Inian Islands, where Zodiac cruises allowed us a close-up look of stellar sea lions and even more humpbacks!

Back onboard the National Geographic Sea Bird, we recapped the day’s events in anticipation of our day in Glacier Bay.