Haines, Southeast Alaska, 8/21/2023, National Geographic Sea Lion
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Lion
Alaska
Early morning finds National Geographic Sea Lion anchored off Haines, Alaska, our destination for the day. Today offers a potpourri of activities for guests, ranging from river rafting to fly-fishing on the Chilkat to an all-day hike to the top of Mount Riley and more. Haines is a small, vibrant community in the northern portion of the Alaskan Panhandle.
There is a hum of conversation during cocktail hour as guests share about the day’s experiences and slide into a relaxed demeanor, opening themselves to the expedition and allowing the region to make its impression.
An educator at heart, Dan finds great joy in helping others explore and connect with the world around them. He has taught marine sciences in the Florida Keys and on Catalina Island, science and math in international schools in Mexico, Costa Rica, and ...
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!
National Geographic Sea Lion cruised throughout the night, heading south through Lynn Canal and making her way towards Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness Area. Early in the morning, we were on approach to Holkham Bay, where we “crossed the bar,” which consists of glacial outwash at the entrance to an extensive fjord system. This wilderness area was established by Congress in 1980, and 653,179 acres of land fall under federal wilderness protection. This fjord system is made up of two arms approximately thirty miles in length. Our goal was Endicott Arm, where we would spend the entire day. During the last ice age, thousands of feet of ice covered this entire area. When the retreat of ice began, these fjords were carved by that ice. This allowed sea water to enter, offering excellent cruising for many ships. National Geographic Sea Lion spent the day cruising and dropping in many of our kayaks and Zodiacs, so all had a chance to paddle and/or cruise this picturesque waterway.
After an all-night transit, we docked at Haines for a full day of activities in the omnipresent rain, although it never dampened our collective spirits. Many guests began a strenuous hike through the coastal rainforest up to 1760-foot Mt Riley only to have the assent stopped by snow and ice. Others visited the Jilkaat Kwaan Heritage Center followed by a chilling float trip on the Chilkat River. A few chose between a morning bike tour, a moderate hike through a small rainforest to Battery Point, or a photo walk. The Battery Point hike, bike tour, and photo walk were also offered in the afternoon. At any point during the day, guests could simply stroll through the small town (population 2300). Some guests visited The Sheldon Museum, offering history and artifacts associated with the Tlingit culture along with the immigrant population dating from the 19th century to the present. Others stopped in the Hammer Museum, which contains the world’s largest collection (over 2500!) of hammers of all sizes and functions from ancient times to now. Visits were also made to the local distillery and brewery. We all enjoyed the Traditional Crab Night for dinner, which was preceded by the equally traditional Ray Troll t-shirt fashion show.
