The morning’s wake-up call was “Welcome to Glacier Bay National Park. Honestly, it’s somewhere out there in the fog.” We woke to thick fog and zero visibility that quickly turned into a perfect day in the park. A national park ranger and Tlingit cultural interpreter joined us in Bartlett Cove, and we traveled together to Margerie Glacier. Along the way, we encountered some of the usual characters—sea otters, sea lions, humpback whales, mountain goats, and a grizzly bear along the way. The weather was beautiful and the Fairweather Range—including Mt. Fairweather herself—was clear. On our way south, we were treated to the very rare experience of watching a pod of four transient killer whales kill two sea lions in front of the ship. Later we disembarked in Bartlett Cove and the photo team set up a light-painting tutorial on a humpback whale skeleton. In the evening, the aurora borealis lit up the skies as our shutters clicked. You could not script a better day in Glacier Bay.
5/15/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Inian Islands, AK
The drizzling rain of the early morning cleared off for the start of our Zodiac tours through the dazzling Inian Islands. The Islands are incredibly special due to their geographic location. As the northernmost opening to the Inside Passage, tons of billions of gallons of water funnel in from the Pacific Ocean and cause an oceanic phenomenon called upwelling, where cold, nutrient dense water rises to the surface. Marine animals flock to these waters for the availability of food and resources. We were able to view sea otters, sea lions, and many bird species. The Zodiac tours had some of the most amazing views of the coastal waters, spruce covered islands, and wildlife. We ended the morning with a visit to the Tidelines Institute, a non-profit educational institute founded by Lindblad Naturalist and PhD in climate science, Zach Brown. The afternoon was filled with presentations, briefings, and our guest slideshow to end the evening during our transit up to Sitka. It was a fantastic ending to a great trip.