We had an amazing day in one of our favorite places today, the Inian Islands. We started off knowing it was going to be a spectacular day when we received an early wakeup call by our expedition leader to inform us that orcas were swimming under our bow. This orca pod had the cutest little baby with them, and it continued to surface high out of the water. We also saw some tail-slapping from the pod, all before breakfast! We boarded Zodiacs and watched Steller sea lions catch fish in the currents ripping through these islands. We watched the sea lions rip apart salmon and rockfish, and they came over to our boats to check us out. As if that wasn’t special enough, we saw humpback whales in large groups and listened to them vocalize. After lunch, we went to Fox Creek for hiking and kayaking. The hike focused on wildflowers, bear tracks, bear scratching posts, and adventure, while we focused on invertebrates, kelps, and leisure while kayaking. It was a well-rounded afternoon.
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.