Our blessings of good weather turned into great weather today as we explored the marine side of Southeast Alaska. Sunny blue skies and not even a breath of wind greeted us as we awoke near the north end of Chichagof Island for the morning activities of walks and kayaks at Fox Creek. The forest was quite dry and easily walkable as we ventured inland to see the trails, prints, scat, and scratch trees all left behind by the coastal brown bears that inhabit this magical place. There was also a chance to kayak around Shaw Island where several harbor seals cautiously watched us paddle the flat calm waters of the bay.
After a short reposition to the Inian Islands, we boarded the expedition landing crafts for an adventurous cruise amongst the small islands in search of more marine mammals. When the tidewaters from the Pacific reach full ebb or flood in this area, the waters churn and froth, confusing the fish and make opportunities for the resident Stellar sea lions and bird life to find a meal. It wasn’t long before we encountered the huge beasts (some males approach 2,000 lbs.) as they caught and devoured fish in the whirlpool waters between the islands. Many eagles and gulls could be seen waiting their turn at the bounty once the sea lions were done consuming their prey. A lone humpback whale also plied the waters heading west in search of smaller fish during the long summer days of productivity. A few sea otters were also seen searching for a meal in between bouts of preening to keep their fur buoyant and insulating.
Once everyone was back on board we enjoyed the incredible light on the mountains of Glacier Bay National Park as National Geographic Sea Lion made her way to pick up our park ranger for tomorrows adventure in one of the crown jewels of the National Park system.
