We approached the small town of Haines and the Chilkat Peninsula in beautiful early morning light. The sun poked through the fog and lit up the tops of the mountains with a warm glow to welcome us to our home base for the day’s adventures. Throughout the sunny day, guests were busy with activities on land, on water, and in the air. From hiking to biking to fly fishing to flightseeing, everyone got to enjoy a taste of the incredible landscapes of Southeast Alaska. Visitors to the Klukwan Village learned about the local Chilkat Tlingit clan, their profound history, and stories of this area. We finished the day with a delicious crab feast and a colorful sunset. Thank you for a wonderful day, Haines!
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.
