Today, our expedition took us to the stunningly charming town of Haines, where our guests embarked on an array of exciting activities that truly enriched our appreciation of Southeast Alaska. The options were plentiful, and our guests eagerly immersed themselves in the natural wonders and local community experiences that Haines had to offer. Our adventures included a captivating river rafting excursion down the magnificent Chilkat River, bike rides along the coastal forest, mountain hikes, fly fishing in local rivers running with salmon, and exploration of the town itself. Through all activities, guests were treated to exciting and memorable wildlife and wilderness memories to surely last a while.
Today’s activities were finalized with our evening’s cocktail hour aboard National Graphic Sea Bird, accompanied by our daily recaps from our naturalist team, delicious appetizers, and hand-crafted drinks and cocktails from our bar. Following our social hour is another fan favorite of the trip: crab night! Dungeons crab filled the dining tables for guests to enjoy a plentiful harvest of a local favorite, thanks to some incredible preparation from our crew on board.
Overall, the activities chosen by our guests in Haines truly added a tremendous amount of value to our expedition through Southeast Alaska. The river rafting, bike rides, mountain hikes, fishing, and community exploration all contributed to a holistic and immersive experience. Tomorrow, we eagerly await the adventures that await us as we explore the enchanting Inian Islands, where we hope to encounter even more captivating landscapes and wildlife that Alaska has to offer.
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.
