Haines, Alaska, 8/31/2024, National Geographic Sea Bird
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Bird
Alaska
Haines is a small and stunning city in Southeast Alaska and one of only three that are connected to mainland Alaska by road. A lot of us went to the village of Klukwan and learned about the seasonal sustenance hunting and gathering of food. We also heard stories about the Whale House Artifacts (over 200 years old) which are some of the most impressive extant totems in the world.
The float down the braided rivers of Chilkat Valley was both peaceful and beautiful. Because the salmon are running, the eagles were plentiful.
I like to remind people that there are very few big surprises left in life, but if you are out in nature, with an open mind and a lot of time, you never know what you will find.
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Our expedition began yesterday in Alaska’s capital city, Juneau, at the foot of the coastal mountains, draped in the deep greens and grays of the temperate rainforest. Rain was the operative description of the day, but as we headed south the weather broke and we had fine sailing overnight toward Tracy Arm. This fjord is incised deeply into the mountains, close to the Stikine ice field and the border with Canada. Heading toward South Sawyer Glacier we were able to explore this unique landscape in our expedition landing craft, weaving among the floating broken glacier ice. We spied mountain goats on the steep mountainsides, harbor seals in the water and on the ice, and the deep blue face of the glacier as it tumbled over a rocky ridge into the sea. We enjoyed informative presentations from the expedition staff throughout the afternoon, as well as time to enjoy the scenery from the outer decks of the ship. As we sailed out of the fjord in the golden light of early evening, we saw a lone humpback whale cruising the shoreline and lazily feeding on schools of small fish. A fine day of exploration in Southeast Alaska.
It was hard to beat the final day of this voyage. On a misty morning in Tracy Arm Fjord, we were met with beautiful green waters and cascading falls down gorgeous mountain faces. We made our way up the winding fjord looking for wildlife and enjoyed the incredible scenery. In the morning, we headed out on Zodiac tours, viewing gorgeous turquoise icebergs and watching the face of South Sawyer Glacier. While appreciating harbor seals in the area, we learned about the natural history of the landscape and wildlife. We were lucky enough to even see the glacier calve. A splash and hearing the thunderous sound of the ice separating from the glacier face was extremely exciting! After a wonderful Zodiac trip, we cruised on the ship towards South Sawyer Glacier for our polar plunge. The ocean water is cold in Alaska, and even chillier when next to a glacier! However, we had some brave guests that wanted to take their plunge into the Alaskan waters. It was a wonderful experience cheering each other on and seeing others dive into the water. After the plunge, we visited a beautiful waterfall called “hole in the wall”. Guests were able to get close, getting covered in the mist of the waterfall. It was definitely a highlight of the trip. Overall, it was an exceptional day.
After spending the past two days exploring the remote reaches and corners of Chichagof Island, it was time for a day of adventure in one of our favorite Alaskan small towns. Haines straddles a unique peninsula that juts out into the Lynn Canal and is framed by exquisite mountain ranges and dynamic tidal flats. The choices for guest excursions in Haines are abundant and diverse; rafting and visiting a tribal village, fly fishing, hiking the highest peak in the area, going on a guided bike tour, or free time to explore town with its many museums and unique shops. There are no poor choices when it comes to deciding what to do for the day. Brown bears, dolly varden, sockeye salmon, harbor seals, bald eagles, banana slugs the size of real bananas, and plenty of other endemic flora and fauna were sighted by guests throughout the day. And of course, what better way to celebrate a successful day in Haines than a glorious bottomless crab feast back onboard National Geographic Sea Lion ? We rounded out the evening with a lively and spirited round of trivia in the lounge, which is always a smashing hit, with tonight being no exception!
