It was a spectacular day in Southeast Alaska. We woke up in Icy Strait on our way to the Inian Islands. Zodiac cruising around the islands is a highlight of any trip to Southeast Alaska. We saw sea otters, sea lions, pelagic cormorants, kittiwakes, bald eagles, and puffins, among many others. After visiting the ecology education center at Tidelines Institute, we hiked George Island. We found a World War II gun used to defend the Inside Passage from the possible attacks from Japan. Some of us then explored the island by kayak. At the end of the day, a brave few did the “Polar Plunge.” During our crab feast, humpback whales fed on herring nearby.
5/8/2024
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Southeast, Alaska
This morning, we cruised through the infamous Fredrick Sound in search of wildlife. Guests joined our naturalists on the bow, and along with our amazing bridge team, we spotted roughly nine humpback whales, including one mother and calf pair! Once we got to our anchorage, a hike in the Tongass National Forest was planned. Guests were shuttled ashore and off into the forest they went. Cascade Creek is infamous for the bursting waterfall about 20 minutes up trail. Each hiker took time being quiet to listen to the forest and her songs, but not for too long because we are in bear country and we wanted to make sure our presence was known. Faces drenched with waterfall mist, our hikers returned to their home away from home, National Geographic Sea Lion . We closed the day by entering into Wrangell Narrows in the direction of Wrangell, our next stop. During dinner our guests were greeted by a small pod of killer whales off our starboard side, and from the dining room windows, a room full of guests watched as they surfaced a few times and then disappeared. What an absolutely magical day!