Harbor porpoises broke the placid reflection of the sky, mirrored on the sea’s surface, just outside of DeGroff Bay for a small audience of early risers this morning. As guests gathered for a briefing in the lounge, our undersea specialist, Carlos Navarro, dove in to capture footage of the amazing marine life brimming at the mouth of the channel.
Ready for action, we set out to explore the rocky coastline via kayaks and foot. While no one literally saw ‘salmon in the trees,’ the figurative ecological role could be seen within the productive forest. Sedges and tallgrasses spread into a lovely meadow tucked against the expansive Tongass National Forest’s edge. Pinks (or humpies) and chum (or dog) salmon were spotted acclimating to an old, familiar, freshwater stream as they prepared for their imminent doom, post-spawning. Cruising through Peril Straight, photo instructor, Ian Markham, delivered an informative presentation introducing expedition photography.
Soaking in the beauty of Alaska’s temperate rain forest from the ship, we learned a bit more about the intricate ecosystem here with naturalist Gretchen Pederson in the lounge. The rest of the afternoon was highlighted with cetacean sightings including bow riding Dall’s porpoises and breaching humpback whales! Sailing into the sunset, humpbacks continued to dot the horizon as our first fantastic day on board National Geographic Sea Bird drew to a close.
