As National Geographic Sea Bird transited Sumner Strait this morning, we awoke to the gentle urging of expedition leader John Pachuta: “Time to rise for a lovely day in Southeast Alaska, and by the way, a humpback whale is sighted off the bow. While this visit by the massive predator of the Inland Passage was brief, it presaged a day full of magnificent sights and a wide range of activities on land and sea. We found a safe anchorage in a narrow cove amidst densely forested islands, rugged islets capped with tall trees, and intertidal rocky reefs. We were ready for a day of exploration.
5/13/2024
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Wrangell
It was a quintessentially Southeast Alaskan morning: cool, blue-gray, and shrouded in ethereal mist. The whole ship was eager to explore the town of Wrangell. As we disembarked, we prepared for many different adventures: most took off up the Stikine River, others enjoyed a stroll along a beach renowned for its petroglyphs, and still others were witnesses to a traditional Tlingit ceremony at Chief Shake’s Tribal House. I spent the morning leading a hike up Mt. Dewey, where guests enjoyed their first taste of the temperate rainforest. Bald eagles, banana slugs, and the spring blooms of the understory were among the highlights. Now we are gathered in the lounge to enjoy libations and merriment as we transit through the Wrangell Narrows. Our expert Bridge team will weave through the constricted passageway, aided by decades of experience and the navigational installments of mariners past. Full of local seafood and eager for tomorrow, we will rest well.