We had another fantastic day on National Geographic Sea Lion. Our ship got the opportunity to visit Alert Bay on the unceded territory of the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations. As guests walked through the Alert Bay Ecological Reserve, undersea specialists Nick Brown and Russell Laman went diving under the pier. Some highlights included footage of giant plumose anemones and basket stars, as those that stayed warm and dry got a chance to see what thrives below the ship. Our visit to the U’mista Cultural Center was a favorite of many; it was fascinating to see the many artifacts returned to Alert Bay after being stolen by Canadian authorities in the 1920s. But the best part of the day was witnessing dances by the T’sasala Cultural Group in the Big House. Generations of families were present and dancing together after years of having to hide their cultural traditions, reminding everyone of the importance of supporting our communities and youth.
5/7/2025
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Daajing Giids, Haida Gwaii, Hecate Strait
After an evening cruising from SG̱ang Gwaay, National Geographic Sea Bird made one last stop this morning in Daajing Giids to drop off our cultural interpreters, DeeDee Crosby and Grace Garvie. At dock, we had two unique opportunities. The first, our daily morning stretch class had the opportunity to meet on land, and second, we welcomed the incredible artisan, Aay Aay, aboard. We were familiar with Aay Aay, who we had met two days prior as an interpreter at the Haida Heritage Center. His specialty is a revival of traditional Haida weaving. During Aay Aay’s time on board, he shared with us his personal story about discovering and mastering his art with spruce root, cedar, and wool weaving. He taught us how to hand spin the warp threads that would be the beginnings of a wool piece. After an artistic morning, we embarked on our journey across Hecate Strait to reach our next destination along our expedition, Alaska. This evening, I write as we make our way into Dixon Entrance preparing to wake up to the scenery of the famed Misty Fjords in the morning.
