On the first day of this expedition, we were treated to a wakeup call in the forest of Walker Cove. This idyllic place calmed our anticipation for the day at first sight. We were treated to the namesake of the Misty Fjords National Monument all morning long. As the mist hung motionless in the tops of the trees on the towering mountains above us, we kept ourselves at sea level with exploratory Zodiac rides in the still waters of Walker Cove. The day continued with a copious amount of time spent searching shorelines and horizons for charismatic megafauna. Making our way north is the path we will take through the night on our way to explore the town of Wrangell tomorrow.
5/13/2024
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Wrangell
It was a quintessentially Southeast Alaskan morning: cool, blue-gray, and shrouded in ethereal mist. The whole ship was eager to explore the town of Wrangell. As we disembarked, we prepared for many different adventures: most took off up the Stikine River, others enjoyed a stroll along a beach renowned for its petroglyphs, and still others were witnesses to a traditional Tlingit ceremony at Chief Shake’s Tribal House. I spent the morning leading a hike up Mt. Dewey, where guests enjoyed their first taste of the temperate rainforest. Bald eagles, banana slugs, and the spring blooms of the understory were among the highlights. Now we are gathered in the lounge to enjoy libations and merriment as we transit through the Wrangell Narrows. Our expert Bridge team will weave through the constricted passageway, aided by decades of experience and the navigational installments of mariners past. Full of local seafood and eager for tomorrow, we will rest well.