We embarked the National Geographic Sea Lion yesterday evening, and cast off from the dock a little later, about 10:30 pm. After anchoring for the night, we pulled the hook and began cruising a short distance to our morning destination of DeGroff Bay. The sky was overcast, with mist clinging to the trees on the shoreline. Temperature 52 degrees Fahrenheit, with glassy calm water. Some people came up to the sundeck for light exercise before breakfast, and we were serenaded by several eagles as we circled up for a group massage. The salty sea air smelled fresh and clean, fragrant with spruce and hemlock.
After breakfast we donned various clothing layers, and backpacks with cameras and binoculars, and loaded into Zodiacs which zipped us to shore. Legs spun over the edge to plant rubber-boot-clad feet onto barnacle-encrusted, moss- and seaweed-strewn rocks. Naturalists led various paces of introductory walks into the temperate rainforest, where we began to see and experience this amazingly lush ecosystem. Highlights included lichen, banana slugs and eagles. Meanwhile, kayakers launched from another beach for a one-way paddle through the narrow passage – against a fairly strong ebbing tide – that led into the large bay where the hikers had landed. After about an hour and a half we switched roles and went in the reverse. The wind gave the second round of paddlers a good workout, but then they didn’t have to contend with the tide as much.
Back onboard for the afternoon, we cruised north towards Peril Strait, looking for wildlife. Mid-afternoon we gathered in the lounge for an introductory photo talk, and learned some new things about our cameras. The sun finally burned through some places in the clouds, and it was quite lovely out on deck. And finally!! -- a humpback whale was spotted feeding very near the shoreline. We stopped to watch it move through the water, as it corralled the fish on its side by flashing its pectoral fin to stun the fish, move in a circle to trap them and then open its huge mouth. This whale engulfs tons of fish and water, closes its baleen to strain out the water, and – gulp! – down the hatch. It was mesmerizing to watch how artfully and gracefully this 45-foot, 40-ton animal can move through the water. Afterwards it would be down under the surface for several minutes, and finally we’d see the spray of the exhale accompanied by the Phht! sound, and followed by a quick inhale. We watched this humpback for over half an hour, and then continued on our way.
At this writing we are gathering in the lounge for cocktails and recap, followed by what promises to be another delicious meal prepared by our galley. What a beautiful first day here in southeast Alaska!
