George Island / Elfin Cove/ Inian Islands
Some days everything just falls in your lap. Starting with our approach to this morning’s anchorage at the southern end of Icy Strait we were surrounded by animals of all kinds. We didn’t even have time to drop the anchor when a pod of four humpback whales made their presence known by bellowing and blowing within 200 yards of the National Geographic Sea Lion. Foraging for small schooling fish within feet of the nearby shoreline these four whales turned out to be mere harbingers of what was to come.
After dropping anchor we set out to explore the perimeter and interior of a location called George Island. Located within a mile or two of one of Alaska’s smallest fishing communities this dramatically exposed location reveals its entire western quarter to the northern Pacific. As its rugged western coast suggests the calm conditions we experienced while circumnavigating (and hiking across) the island today is not typical. With rock arches, nesting pelagic cormorants, sea otters and long strands of bull kelp our clockwise transit of George Island climaxed when we reconnected with our large marine mammal friends, megaptera novaeangliae. Within moments of our approach we were literally surrounded by as many as 6 whales all in the process of feeding - and it seemed we were the epicenter of their pursuit. From all sides the water began boiling as 45 (times 6!) feet of flesh came arching out of the water as each whale exhaled its watery breath on us bystanders before silently slipping back below the depths. Time after time this happened until we came to the conclusion that these whales might actually be using our Zodiacs as buffers to help corral their prey. Can we prove that? No. But they sure were consistent!
Following this rush of whales we were introduced to Elfin Cove, a quaint little fishing town at the southern extent of Icy Strait. The early afternoon was dedicated to strolling the boardwalks that link the 50 structures or so that comprise the town. While our stay was more than pleasant, in the distance we could see the lure of Brady glacier, the Fairweather range and most importantly, the Inian Islands, our last stop of the day.
We dedicated our three hours exploring the islands by Zodiac, which is the only way to travel through Steller sea lion, tufted puffin, sea otter, bald eagle and whale infested waters. While zig-zagging our way through narrow channels we came across several colonies of our planets largest sea lions (Steller sea lions, also known as northern sea lions) a handful of brightly beaked tufted puffins bobbing near shore and dozens of immature and mature bald eagles lining the trees overhead, but perhaps the most interesting of them all, the normally elusive sea otters. On this particularly calm day we found dozens swimming through or anchored to the multitudes of bull kelp fronds lining the shore. If not foraging for sea urchins or sea stars they rest by tying themselves up in the kelp fronds to keep from drifting away. We spotted at least two individuals wrapped in this rubbery blanket, seemingly oblivious to our presence.
Our senses were on overload today. From sun-up to sun-down life has pulsed all around us. While we all hope for more tomorrow I’m sure many will sleep like otters tonight!
