After a beautiful and restful night at anchor outside of Sitka in Beehive Cove, we awoke. With our bodies and minds recharged after our previous day of travel, we set sail to Sergius Narrows and Peril Strait – a narrow waterway that meanders its way between Baranof and Chichagof Islands in Southeast Alaska. Humpback whales entertained us with their breathing as we made our way to our afternoon destination of Sitkoh Bay. Sitkoh Bay is on the southeast corner of Chichagof Island, and it serves as a magnificent reminder that even an area that has been clear-cut in its past can rebound when left untouched by man. We spent our afternoon hiking in this spectacular area – witnessing new growth forest, banana slugs, bald eagles, and brown bears. We frolicked amongst them, breathed in the rich fresh air that surrounded us, and gained new perspectives on life in this spectacular temperate rainforest. With more days to come, our desires for nature were satiated for the day. Thank you, Southeast Alaska!
6/1/2023
Read
National Geographic Quest
Inian Islands and Fox Creek
This morning, National Geographic Quest anchored in the Inian Islands. While wellness specialist Sokie started her early morning stretching class on the sundeck, we had the first surprise of the day – three humpback whales came close to the ship to greet us. After breakfast, Zodiacs were deployed, and we made our way to explore the islands. We went to Bird Island first, a rock full of seabirds, including glaucous-winged gulls, pelagic cormorants, and pigeon guillemots. We passed by an enormous colony of Steller sea lions that came close to the Zodiacs, swimming underneath us and playing with the strong waves and currents. Our guests enjoyed this abundance of life as we continued to the north side where we saw a blow. Two humpback whales were feeding in the area, and Dall’s porpoises moved quickly in the distance. Everywhere we looked was full of life. The whales went for a deeper and longer dive, and while we waited for them to come back up, we saw more blows farther away. This time it was orcas! We got closer and saw a pod of four transient orcas passing. Our guests couldn’t have been happier or more astounded. In the afternoon, we repositioned to Fox Creek to go kayaking and on different hikes. A photo and bird walk were led by photo instructor Iván and naturalist Zoey. Our guests really enjoyed exploring the lush temperate forest. They had opportunities to practice the photography tips learned throughout the voyage and to hear the bird calls they have come to recognize. It was a spectacular day in Southeast Alaska.