Idaho Inlet, George Island, Inian Islands
We woke this morning surrounded by an adorability of sea otters. When the dictionary fails to provide a handy collective pronoun, sometimes you just need to create your own. These furry delights were scattered in small groups around Idaho Inlet busily tending to their grooming needs, keeping their fur adequately fluffed for maximum insulation from the chilly waters. In the background, an improbability of Fairweather Range peaks shone brightly in the morning sun. Wearing their miniscule horns, rhinoceros auklets bobbed about the water along with black legged kittiwakes and a few humpback whales.
Our landing for the morning was on George Island. This tiny islet offered many options for excursions. Some chose to hike high and long, others a bit shorter and more investigative. The colorful cloaks of skunk cabbage flowers dotted the muddier sections of our trails. On the sandy northern beach, we found the tracks of mink, river otter and Sitka black tailed deer. We brought these sandy prints home, in the form of plaster castings to share with our fellow travelers.
Although the sun was shining high and bright in the cloudless sky, there was a chill to the air, so our Hotel Manager created a hot chocolate barge out of a Zodiac. Delivering steaming cups of hot chocolate and whipped cream, she warmed the hands and insides of the intrepid paddling kayakers.
In route to the Inian Islands, we leisurely cruised and observed a number of humpback whales feeding between and amongst the numerous islets in Cross Sound. For the late afternoon we deployed our Zodiacs for an exploration of a Steller sea lion haul out. Carolyn came up with the description of “malodorous beasties;” Dehra added they appeared to be rather “ginormous.” All in all they were an entertaining gathering of rather vocal (and smelly) Steller sea lions.
We ended our evening using our video microscope to take an up-close look at a variety of different hair samples of Southeast Alaska mammals. To compliment the creatures of the ocean as well, we looked at a sample of sea water. While Berit spoke, copepods flew about the plasma screens with reckless abandon in denial of their planktonic lifestyles.
From otters to algae, from animal tracks to paddling kayaks, we filled our day with the diversity of life Southeast Alaska has to offer.
We woke this morning surrounded by an adorability of sea otters. When the dictionary fails to provide a handy collective pronoun, sometimes you just need to create your own. These furry delights were scattered in small groups around Idaho Inlet busily tending to their grooming needs, keeping their fur adequately fluffed for maximum insulation from the chilly waters. In the background, an improbability of Fairweather Range peaks shone brightly in the morning sun. Wearing their miniscule horns, rhinoceros auklets bobbed about the water along with black legged kittiwakes and a few humpback whales.
Our landing for the morning was on George Island. This tiny islet offered many options for excursions. Some chose to hike high and long, others a bit shorter and more investigative. The colorful cloaks of skunk cabbage flowers dotted the muddier sections of our trails. On the sandy northern beach, we found the tracks of mink, river otter and Sitka black tailed deer. We brought these sandy prints home, in the form of plaster castings to share with our fellow travelers.
Although the sun was shining high and bright in the cloudless sky, there was a chill to the air, so our Hotel Manager created a hot chocolate barge out of a Zodiac. Delivering steaming cups of hot chocolate and whipped cream, she warmed the hands and insides of the intrepid paddling kayakers.
In route to the Inian Islands, we leisurely cruised and observed a number of humpback whales feeding between and amongst the numerous islets in Cross Sound. For the late afternoon we deployed our Zodiacs for an exploration of a Steller sea lion haul out. Carolyn came up with the description of “malodorous beasties;” Dehra added they appeared to be rather “ginormous.” All in all they were an entertaining gathering of rather vocal (and smelly) Steller sea lions.
We ended our evening using our video microscope to take an up-close look at a variety of different hair samples of Southeast Alaska mammals. To compliment the creatures of the ocean as well, we looked at a sample of sea water. While Berit spoke, copepods flew about the plasma screens with reckless abandon in denial of their planktonic lifestyles.
From otters to algae, from animal tracks to paddling kayaks, we filled our day with the diversity of life Southeast Alaska has to offer.
