Today we visited a wilderness area called the Inian Islands, which were named in 1879 by W.H. Dall as part of a U.S. Coast Guard and Geological Survey. This is one of the few places where the Inside Passage opens to the Pacific Ocean. The tide creates a lot of upwelling, making it an easy place for wildlife to find food. We saw Steller sea lions, sea otters, bald eagles, and harbor seals on our morning Zodiac cruises. After lunch, we visited nearby George Island, the location of a World War II outpost and a large gun that was never fired. At George Island, we offered two sets of hikes and kayaking.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 20 Jul 2022
Inian Islands & George Island, 7/20/2022, National Geographic Sea Bird
- Aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird
- Alaska
Anna Mazurek, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
South Carolina native Anna Mazurek fell in love with traveling and photography while studying abroad in England during college. Since then, she’s been to 53 countries and lived in five.
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Alaska Escape: Haines, the Inian Islands and Tracy Arm Fjord
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5/25/2025
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Haines, Alaska
Immediately upon National Geographic Sea Lion’s arrival in Haines, the low clouds began to lift, and a bald eagle landed on the pilings next to the ship…a welcome sign of things to come. Our morning activities included hiking to the summit of Mount Riley, walking along the beach at Battery Point, cycling along the coastal roads, and fly fishing for Dolly Varden. The afternoon offered many of the same activities and time to explore town, where many guests decided to visit the recently opened cafe at the top of the dock for local Alaskan flavors. Speaking of Alaskan flavors…we now await the evening’s crab feast with great anticipation!
5/24/2025
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Inian Islands and Fox Creek
We had an amazing day today exploring the Inian Islands and Fox Creek. In the morning, guests left National Geographic Sea Lion to explore the Inian Islands on Zodiacs. This location is known for its currents and the upwelling that happens here. Nutrients rise to the surface, producing a great opportunity to witness the feeding behavior of bald eagles, Steller sea lions, sea otters, gulls, and other marine mammals. After a delicious lunch, guests chose from two exploratory opportunities at Fox Creek. One of the options was a moderate hike with our naturalists interpreting along the way. The second option was an intertidal walk with naturalists, enjoying a bit of tidepool exploration. We concluded this amazing day back onboard listening to the recap, having a wonderful dinner, and planning for another great day tomorrow with our visit to Haines.