Haida Gwaii, 9/10/2024, National Geographic Sea Bird
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Bird
Alaska
National Geographic Sea Bird visited Haida Gwaii today. In the morning, we visited a Museum and Cultural Center where we learned about the house frontal poles and other utilitarian and creative objects.
In the afternoon, there were a variety of hikes on offer in the forest near Spirit Lake. Everyone was very touched by the beautiful surroundings and culture on our first day in this special place.
I like to remind people that there are very few big surprises left in life, but if you are out in nature, with an open mind and a lot of time, you never know what you will find.
The winds howled and the rain ran in Alaska today. National Geographic Sea Lion and her people sailed the Inside Passage from the mouth of Glacier Bay, down Chatham Straight, through Sergius Narrows to eventually make it to our destination, Sitka. Along the way we saw soggy bald eagles, drenched Sitka black tail deer, and submerged Dall’s porpoise. In Sitka, we visited the National Historical Park, also known as Totem Pole Park. We braved the squalls and the heavy rain to walk amongst the beautiful trees and witness the poles and artifacts of the Tlingit peoples that still call this land home. It was a magnificent way to end a wonderful journey.
The waters surrounding Bartlett Cove were so calm this morning that we could see the reflection of the National Park Visitor Center Lodge on the ocean. Bright and early, we hiked into a magical part of the Tongass National Forest. Although there was a chill in the air, no precipitation came until much later in the day, just before dinner. Soon after our departure from Bartlett Cove, wildlife was all around us! Humpback whales, Steller sea lions, northern sea otters, and tufted puffins all graced us with their presence along South Marble Island. Later, in Geikie Inlet, we spotted not one, but two bears! An American black bear and a coastal brown bear. We came across dozens of goats at Gloomy Knob and even a northern marmot. Margerie Glacier greeted us just before dinner as National Geographic Sea Lion bobbed amongst the ice. What a fantastic day in Glacier Bay National Park.
After a soggy day in Petersburg, we were thrilled to find our day in Tracy Arm flooded with sunshine instead of raindrops. Winding through the labyrinthine fjord is always an adventure this time of year, and we prepared for a veritable wall of frozen icebergs. But the fjord was surprisingly clear until the final bend, where a thick layer of pan ice stopped us in our tracks. Undeterred, we boarded our Zodiacs, crept below the steep cliffs, and prodded into the pan ice perimeter as far as we dared. Several mountain goats watched us from above, and a couple of curious harbor seals followed in our wake, patiently waiting for the pan ice to melt so they can wiggle onto the massive bergs and pup their young. A handful of humpbacks escorted us north through Stephens Passage, along with some blissfully calm water and more of that rare Alaskan sunshine. We have a long sail ahead of us this evening as we motor more than 160 miles toward mystical Glacier Bay.
