In contrast to last night’s 40-mile-an-hour wind and brilliant sunset, this morning’s entrance to Endicott Arm greeted us with tranquil waters and muted tones, pierced only by the high notes of marbled murrelets and bright blue of glacial bergy bits. Opportunities for kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and small boat tours allowed us to closely explore the shorelines and ice. Dawes Glacier provided a dramatic finale and the trip ultimately closed with the sighting of a humpback whale at sunset.
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.
