Aboard National Geographic Sea Lion, guests were still buzzing after an incredible wildlife day in the Inian Islands yesterday. Under the expert guidance of our expedition leader and captain, we went to Pavlof Bay in hopes of the chance to view coastal brown bears at Pavlof Falls. A population of pinky (or humpy) salmon runs up this river and jumps the falls using an installed fish ladder. The local brown bears have been known to frequent the falls to catch salmon midair as they try to jump up the falls to spawn in the river and lake above. We did not have any sightings, as it was a very low tide and still early in the season for bears to be enticed to the falls. We headed back to the ship and cruised for more wildlife sightings. Guests were treated to a short bear encounter from the bow as a brown bear meandered along the forest’s edge. Perhaps deciding it was too hot to continue, the bear ducked into the shaded forest area. Guests admired quintessential Southeast Alaska: views of channels of water flanked by beautiful shorelines and towering mountains. We even spotted multiple humpback whales.
9/5/2024
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness
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.