Today was our first full day of exploring and it did not disappoint. We started our morning in Iyoukeen, hiking into the temperate rainforest. We saw heaps of bald eagles and banana slugs. After lunch our guests joined our naturalists on the bow looking for wildlife. As dinner finished, our amazing captain made an announcement: “Humpback whales bubble-net feeding!” This is a quite rare corporative feeding event that humpback whales do here in their feeding grounds. We watched as a group of 12-15 individuals fed together with a few bonus breaches. What an absolute magical first day!
5/13/2024
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Wrangell
It was a quintessentially Southeast Alaskan morning: cool, blue-gray, and shrouded in ethereal mist. The whole ship was eager to explore the town of Wrangell. As we disembarked, we prepared for many different adventures: most took off up the Stikine River, others enjoyed a stroll along a beach renowned for its petroglyphs, and still others were witnesses to a traditional Tlingit ceremony at Chief Shake’s Tribal House. I spent the morning leading a hike up Mt. Dewey, where guests enjoyed their first taste of the temperate rainforest. Bald eagles, banana slugs, and the spring blooms of the understory were among the highlights. Now we are gathered in the lounge to enjoy libations and merriment as we transit through the Wrangell Narrows. Our expert Bridge team will weave through the constricted passageway, aided by decades of experience and the navigational installments of mariners past. Full of local seafood and eager for tomorrow, we will rest well.
