Elfin Cove & George Island
The early morning seas shook us awake and then rocked us back to sleep on the National Geographic Sea Lion. If the seas were any kind of prediction, it was going to be an exciting day!
Captain Sinclair led us through the misty fog towards Elfin Cove, a small fishing village, where we anchored for the morning. Mary Jo Lordewilde, a full time resident of Elfin Cove, joined us for breakfast and shared with us some of the things that make this small remote community so unique!
Connected by boardwalks, Elfin Cove is only accessible by float plane or private boat. The winter months see an average of 20 residents while the summer months increase in population because of the fishing. On this particular morning, the local shop owners were gracious enough to open early, selling things such as smoked salmon, kelp salsa and local art.
After leaving Elfin Cove, we pulled the anchor and headed to the Inian Islands. We loaded the Zodiacs and set off to see the very active and friendly stellar sea lions that call this place home. Several of the sea lions were happy to show off their fishing skills, tossing the salmon and halibut they caught high into the air.
The sea was just as active, putting on quite the show with big swells and standing waves. It was an act that left us in awe of the natural powers of the sea.
George Island was our next stop for some relaxing hikes and Zodiac cruises. The lush forests and beautiful views of this magical place left a wonderful memory of a great afternoon in our minds!
Back on the National Geographic Sea Lion, we sat down to a wonderful meal and a nice surprise of several humpbacks who teased us by parading around the boat, showing their flukes and blowing sea water into the cool night air. This left us with an exhilarated feeling for Glacier Bay National Park, which we would be experiencing the next day!
