Inian Islands & Fox Creek
This morning humpback whales were seen as an introduction to a wonderful day as we navigated through Icy Strait heading to the Inian Islands. Cross Sound is where we took our first Zodiac cruises. Through this area salmon enter the inner waters of the Alexander Archipelago and many animals congregate here to feed on them.
Steller’s sea lions are the largest “eared seals” in the world and they find a perfect place to haul-out here. Mostly non-breeding males and young can be seen here. Sea otters also find a good environment to feed on urchins and other benthic organisms. Sea birds nest around this area on the steep rock walls of the islands. Today we got to see tufted and horned puffins, which among rhinoceros auklets were our ornithological highlights of the day. Pelagic cormorants and glaucous-winged gulls were abundant and they thrive here among many other species of birds.
Hikes and kayaking were our afternoon activities. Once again we visited bear territory, where we are basically borrowing their trails and this is very evident as we look around us. Perennial bear tracks and scratched trees among other evidences can be found here. Fox Creek offers a beautiful hike through the temperate rain forest and the more strenuous hike leads to a bog or muskeg. This is a dramatically contrasting environment that can be described as a dwarfed forest in the middle of the old growth forest.
We kayaked around Shaw Island, right in front of Chichagof Island. The most impressive aspect of this place is that humpback whale blows can be heard as we paddled through the kelp forests. Some of us had encounters with a couple of sea otters, and others were surprised by a gentle leviathan: a humpback whale that surfaced close to their kayaks, blowing in the air as it created an unforgettable experience.
During dinner we heard the voice of our Expedition Leader telling us that there was a breaching whale just outside the ship. To make a long story short, more than 70 breaches later, more than fifty tail lobbings and about one and a half hours of extreme activity, this humpback whale calf is still giving a show outside, surrounded by the magical light of Southeast Alaska.
This morning humpback whales were seen as an introduction to a wonderful day as we navigated through Icy Strait heading to the Inian Islands. Cross Sound is where we took our first Zodiac cruises. Through this area salmon enter the inner waters of the Alexander Archipelago and many animals congregate here to feed on them.
Steller’s sea lions are the largest “eared seals” in the world and they find a perfect place to haul-out here. Mostly non-breeding males and young can be seen here. Sea otters also find a good environment to feed on urchins and other benthic organisms. Sea birds nest around this area on the steep rock walls of the islands. Today we got to see tufted and horned puffins, which among rhinoceros auklets were our ornithological highlights of the day. Pelagic cormorants and glaucous-winged gulls were abundant and they thrive here among many other species of birds.
Hikes and kayaking were our afternoon activities. Once again we visited bear territory, where we are basically borrowing their trails and this is very evident as we look around us. Perennial bear tracks and scratched trees among other evidences can be found here. Fox Creek offers a beautiful hike through the temperate rain forest and the more strenuous hike leads to a bog or muskeg. This is a dramatically contrasting environment that can be described as a dwarfed forest in the middle of the old growth forest.
We kayaked around Shaw Island, right in front of Chichagof Island. The most impressive aspect of this place is that humpback whale blows can be heard as we paddled through the kelp forests. Some of us had encounters with a couple of sea otters, and others were surprised by a gentle leviathan: a humpback whale that surfaced close to their kayaks, blowing in the air as it created an unforgettable experience.
During dinner we heard the voice of our Expedition Leader telling us that there was a breaching whale just outside the ship. To make a long story short, more than 70 breaches later, more than fifty tail lobbings and about one and a half hours of extreme activity, this humpback whale calf is still giving a show outside, surrounded by the magical light of Southeast Alaska.
