Our final full day of exploration in the wilds of Southeast Alaska began at the junction of Chatham and Peril Straits, the “triple junction” where Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof Islands come together. Generally, it is a hot spot for observing humpback whales feeding over underwater reefs and coastal brown bears strolling the shorelines. We started with a good taste of the wilder weather that sometimes overlays this coastal wilderness. Low clouds, a stiff breeze, and swirling precipitation made for challenging conditions on the bow, but our cozy ship was a welcome refuge from the weather with warm coffee, a hearty breakfast, and an entertaining presentation that introduced some of the natural history highlights of the bear world. By afternoon, we were able to anchor in Saook Bay for an afternoon of kayaking and hiking.
5/7/2025
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Inian Islands, Port Althorp
The Inian Islands invoke sheer joy and excitement among the naturalists, which in turn, is transferred to the guests. We set out in Zodiacs, traversing in nearly unprecedented calm conditions through the narrow Mosquito Pass, then around North Inian Island. We observed over a dozen bald eagles and sea lions waiting for the inrushing tide to bring fish to the surface for easy pickings. We also saw a couple of male sea otters peacefully lying on the surface while fluffing up their fur to introduce air for insulation (they don’t have blubber). The weather was classic Alaska…sun grading to rain…then to partly cloudy. In the afternoon, we traveled to Port Althorp for kayaking and hikes. Again, very calm conditions with intermittent sun and rain. The hikes were beautiful, winding across the mud flats and into the thick rainforest painted with several shades of green. Bear trails were observed and used by us as convenient paths to follow. Kayakers slowly paddled across glassy water to enjoy the peace and solitude. The day ended with soft sun.