The National Geographic Sea Lion cruised into Pavlov Harbor at low tide in the early morning sun. Yes, sunshine! Being early September, the last of the pink salmon were making their way up the freshwater stream to complete their lifecycle. With the presence of salmon, we were hoping to see one of their top predators, bears. As our luck would have it, we encountered a sow and her cubs feeding in the stream.
While the bears were enjoying their late morning snack, my dive team and I explored the beautiful underwater world of the bay. With the nearby freshwater stream mixing with the salty sea, the differences in water density created a blurry layer known as a halocline. At a depth of nearly 60 feet, we found a large rock wall covered in white plumose anemones. Anemones are related to jellyfish and contain stinging cells. They use these stinging cells containing neurotoxins to stun and capture prey that may swim a little too close to their tentacles. Other favorite underwater finds included nudibranchs and multiple species of sea stars. Being able to share underwater video footage with those who prefer to stay on land is a great and unique tool of discovery.
Pleased with our morning bear encounters, we ate delicious chili and sailed south through Chatham Strait. The sunny and clear day was perfect for scanning the horizon for whales. Across the straight from Angoon, we spotted humpback whales cooperatively bubble-net feeding. Twice in one week, what a treat! We even had the opportunity to see multiple breaches in a row. The hydrophone was dropped and we once again heard the sounds of the whale calls made during this unique feeding technique – a sound few other humans get to experience.
As the sun began to set, we headed inside to watch a slideshow of our collection of photos from the week; what a great recap of all of our incredible wildlife encounters and other adventures throughout the week. Captain Nettles joined us for a farewell dinner and then we spent the evening sharing cocktails with new friends and reminiscing about the trip – memories we know that will last a lifetime. Our expedition leader, Rab, closed the evening recap with eloquent words about abundance and our experience with that word throughout our expedition. We will all leave with a new perspective.
