A windy day welcomed us to Haines, Alaska today. While a few outings were cancelled due to weather, guests enjoyed an exciting day hiking in the rainforest, floating along the Chilkat River, or exploring the town and enjoying a few of the local libations. With an atmospheric river forecasted for the evening, we are grateful to be aboard our home at sea where we get to warm up with hot beverages and a delicious seafood feast.
9/10/2024
Read
National Geographic Sea Lion
Pavlof Harbor
The day started with an exciting encounter. Before breakfast we observed a group of bubble-netting humpback whales. It was incredible to see them lunge and hear them breathing at the surface. This was coupled by a glorious pink sunrise. After breakfast we took Zodiac cruises searching for bears near Pavlof Harbor. Even though we did not find any (wildlife is always delightfully unexpected), the scenery was beautiful, and we watched many adorable harbor seals. After thinking the excitement of the day was done, we spotted a large group of whales from a distance. While approaching closer, we realized this group was also bubble-net feeding. Close to the shore, we observed these whales for hours. We even dropped the hydrophone to hear their haunting feeding call before they all lunged at the surface. It was one of the most incredible things any of us had ever witnessed. As if this wasn’t enough, at our sunset recap we got the call that there were killer whales around the ship. It was the most amazing ending to the most amazing day.
