The final leg of any journey comes with a lot of reflection and thought. This day was no exception, as the National Geographic Sea Bird wrapped up an epic voyage north from Seattle to British Colombia and Haida Gwaii, and into Southeast Alaska. Our final day was spent hiking along the sun-dappled rain forest up towards Lake Eva on the island of Baranof in Alaska. After an extended leg-stretch, some beachcombing, and a final photo session, we struck out into Chatham Strait in search of marine life and, where we encountered both brown bears and humpback whales. What an expedition!
5/15/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Inian Islands, AK
The drizzling rain of the early morning cleared off for the start of our Zodiac tours through the dazzling Inian Islands. The Islands are incredibly special due to their geographic location. As the northernmost opening to the Inside Passage, tons of billions of gallons of water funnel in from the Pacific Ocean and cause an oceanic phenomenon called upwelling, where cold, nutrient dense water rises to the surface. Marine animals flock to these waters for the availability of food and resources. We were able to view sea otters, sea lions, and many bird species. The Zodiac tours had some of the most amazing views of the coastal waters, spruce covered islands, and wildlife. We ended the morning with a visit to the Tidelines Institute, a non-profit educational institute founded by Lindblad Naturalist and PhD in climate science, Zach Brown. The afternoon was filled with presentations, briefings, and our guest slideshow to end the evening during our transit up to Sitka. It was a fantastic ending to a great trip.
