What a day in Glacier Bay! This place has never ceased to amaze me, no matter how many times I visit. We started our morning off bright and early with a small pod of orcas cruising by just before breakfast. As we ventured further north into this mystic bay, the weather continued to improve. We made a stop by South Marble Island to take a look at the numerous species of birds, snap some photos of sea otters, and even get a whiff of the Steller sea lions hauled out on the rocks. Further up the bay, we were lucky enough to spot a few brown bears, including a sow with two cubs. By this time, the sun was out and we had clear skies as we made our way into Johns Hopkins Inlet. It was like a dream as we sat in awe of the glacier, harbor seals, and intricate ice sculptures that surrounded us. We finished our day off with a leisurely stroll on the forest loop trail in Bartlett Cove, then listened to the one and only Kim Heacox share stories and songs, and give inspiration to us all! See ya next time GLBNP!
8/1/2019
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National Geographic Venture
Baranof Island
After exploring the glaciers and open waters of the northern Inside Passage, we sailed south through the night and returned to the starting point of our journey, Baranof Island. This island, along with Admiralty to the east and Chichagof to the north, is home to one of the highest densities of brown bears in the world. To search for evidence of the bears as they begin their yearly salmon feast and continue our exploration of the temperate rainforest, we anchored in Kelp Bay to kayak and hike the shoreline throughout the morning. Later in the afternoon, we welcomed Dr. Andy Szabo of the Alaska Whale Foundation to learn more about ongoing research taking place in Alaska on the unique bubblenet feeding behavior we witnessed earlier in the trip. Only in Alaska can you experience the forest, salmon, bears, and whales all in one day.
