We enjoyed morning activities of hiking and kayaking in the sparkling sunshine. George Island has a lovely arch on the oceanside, our destination for kayaking. A shy sea otter and lone Steller sea lion visited our group briefly. Meanwhile, groups hiked “to the gun,” a canon located on the far side of the island and put in place to protect the West Coast during World War II. After lunch, we cruised around the Inian Islands to view wildlife, before heading to the Hobbit Hole to visit with Zach Brown at the Tidelines Institute. Zach’s place is a great example of low tech, low footprint, high education, and high activism. Zach, a PhD Stanford graduate, and his wife lead inclusive experiences in “the heart of wilderness.” Check them out at tidelinesinstitute.org.
5/5/2025
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness
Throughout the night, National Geographic Sea Lion cruised south in Chatham Strait. Heading further south into Stephens Passage, we approached Holkham Bay and the entrance to Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness, 653,179 acres of land which received the highest level of protection from Congress in 1980. Most of our day would be spent exploring the deep fjords which make up the heart of the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness. Zodiacs were dropped and our group was divided in half, each group taking an hour and a half traveling up the fjord to the face of Dawes Glacier. White thunder sounded from the face of the glacier, birds circled, and harbor porpoises showed their dorsal fins. Due to heavy rain, waterfalls of many sizes were everywhere. Once Zodiac rides returned to the ship, our floating home began a cruise back down Endicott Arm heading for Holkham Bay and the entrance back to Stephens Passage. A very silly brown bear, humpback whales, Steller sea lions, and more porpoises were observed throughout the afternoon and early evening. It was an amazing first day, and Southeast Alaska was enjoyed by all, with so much more to come!
