National Geographic Sea Lion cruised southward from Glacier Bay and entered Freshwater Bay and Pavlof Harbor (Chichagof Island) early this morning. We quietly dropped our undersea specialist, Colin, and his dive buddies Israel and Billy into the water to get some video footage of the rich realm beneath the surface. Guests out on the deck before breakfast were able to watch a brown (grizzly) bear wandering the shore next to a salmon stream.
After breakfast we also wandered on shore, toward the base of a falls where the salmon endeavor upstream on their homeward journey. We were fortunate to find bears fishing in the shallow water. From a safe distance we were presented with an incredible photo opportunity and a superb wildlife experience. Salmon and bears are major players in a cycle that connects the ocean and forest ecosystems.
The tides were right this afternoon for a quick tour of Kootznahoo Inlet near the native town of Angoon on Admiralty Island. Known as the “Fortress of the Bears,” Admiralty Island has a high density of brown bears. The currents run strong here between tides, so we had a short window on either side of slack high tide today to explore part of the scenic inlet. Quite a few bald eagles were spotted, along with a couple nests containing young birds. Sunshine added a lot of warmth to the day and kept our spirits high.
During cocktail hour we were entertained with the guest talent show – singing, dancing, magic tricks, poetry, and more. Festivities continued with more dancing in the dining room after dinner.
