Nestled between the northern reaches of the Lynn Canal, eastern border of Glacier Bay National Park, and the outflow of the Chilkat river, Haines Alaska is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream come true.

Today’s activities ranged from float trips down the Chilkat River, starting at the ancestral homeland of the Klukwan, to hiking and biking on the outskirts of town. Calm winds and lots of recent migratory arrivals made birdwatching an eventful bonus to many of these activities.

A few of us took to the smaller freshwater rivers in search of aquatic species. Dolly Varden is a species of salmonid, related to salmon but not built to transition into saltwater environments like other anadromous fish like Coho or Chinook salmon. With local guides, our guests caught and released numerous Dolly Varden on their fly-fishing adventure.

With the rain holding off for yet another day, we are off to a great start on this inaugural Southeast Alaska trip of the season for National Geographic Sea Bird.