We found ourselves shrouded in fog this morning as the ship cut peacefully through glassy marine waters. As the mist lifted, we clambered into our inflatable boats and began exploring the churning waters of the Inian Islands. At the northern most extent of the inside passage, these islands act as a sieve when the tides change and create a significant amount of mixing and upwelling. This brings nutrients and fish to the surface providing diving birds, sea otters, and sea lions with ample foraging opportunities. On our cruises, we spotted bald eagles snatching rockfish from the water’s surface, Steller sea lions thrashing salmon into smaller bites, and sea otters wrapping themselves in the kelp. In the afternoon, we stretched our legs at Fox Creek and walked the natural bear trails amongst devils club, Sitka spruce, mushrooms, and salmon streams. Our gorgeous day came to a close near the entrance to Glacier Bay National Park, with its towering mountains clinging to white clouds in the sky.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 28 Aug 2018
Inian Islands and Fox Creek, 8/28/2018, National Geographic Sea Lion
- Aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion
- Alaska
Emily Newton, Undersea Specialist
Emily was raised in the mountains of Central Oregon, where she spent much of her time on the back of a horse. Her fascination with marine science began with family vacations to British Columbia, where she explored tidepools, captured sculpins, inspec...
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Voyage to Alaska, British Columbia and Haida Gwaii
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