The voyage continues. After navigating through the Lynn Canal and then west to where the Cross Sound and the Gulf of Alaska meet, we anchored in Granite Cove, where our adventures began. In true Lindblad form, we rode Zodiacs from National Geographic Sea Bird to George Island, a former outpost during World War II.
Just as we stepped onto the rocky shore, the clouds parted, and sunshine beamed upon us as if to welcome our exploration. Groups set out by foot and by kayak to take in the sights. We found a multitude of colorful lichens in the forest, seaweed on the beach, and sea stars in the tidal zones. No matter where we explored, we were bound to get great photos. Back on board, there was a buzz of chatter during lunch as we compared notes on what we saw.
A quick repositioning of National Geographic Sea Bird brought us to “the Hobbit Hole” in the Inian Islands archipelago. Here, the color of the water is a striking teal. It’s the only entrance for the Pacific Ocean to pour nutrient-rich waters into the northern reaches of Southeast Alaska, so the chances of seeing marine mammals and seabirds are good. The afternoon Zodiac runs did not disappoint. We saw sea otters, harbor seals, rhinoceros auklets, and bald eagles…oh my! As we headed back to the ship in our Zodiacs, a light, cool drizzle began and gave way to a brilliant rainbow, uninterrupted by the buildings, traffic, or crowds we’re accustomed to. Lucky for us, we have a couple more days for moments like this one on our floating home.
