We had an amazing day in one of our favorite places today, the Inian Islands. We started off knowing it was going to be a spectacular day when we received an early wakeup call by our expedition leader to inform us that orcas were swimming under our bow. This orca pod had the cutest little baby with them, and it continued to surface high out of the water. We also saw some tail-slapping from the pod, all before breakfast! We boarded Zodiacs and watched Steller sea lions catch fish in the currents ripping through these islands. We watched the sea lions rip apart salmon and rockfish, and they came over to our boats to check us out. As if that wasn’t special enough, we saw humpback whales in large groups and listened to them vocalize. After lunch, we went to Fox Creek for hiking and kayaking. The hike focused on wildflowers, bear tracks, bear scratching posts, and adventure, while we focused on invertebrates, kelps, and leisure while kayaking. It was a well-rounded afternoon.
7/22/2024
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Sitka Sound
Early risers aboard National Geographic Sea Lion were treated to a stellar show of humpback whales this morning as we made our way south down the mountain-studded coast of Baranof Island. The long, lazy swell that lulled us to sleep overnight contrasted spectacularly with the fast breaches, tail slaps, and fluking displays that surrounded us as we rounded Cape Edgecumbe and entered Sitka Sound. Sea otters and fishing boats galore greeted us as we slipped into the calm waters of the sound, bound for Magoun Islands State Marine Park for an afternoon of Zodiac cruising and hiking. The hikers found ample evidence of recent bear presence in the form of fresh scat and tracks, but no bears were to be found. Most of us were quite relieved not to surprise a bear! The Zodiac cruisers were treated to gorgeous intertidal habitats littered with mussels, barnacles, sea stars, and clams. After warming up a bit at lunch, a record thirty-one brave souls jumped into the frigid waters for our polar plunge! As we arrived in Sitka this evening, we admired the snow-capped mountain tops normally shrouded in mist. Steller sea lions cavorting around the dock served as reminders of our adventures.