Kuiu Island, Bay of Pillars
“Good morning National Geographic Sea Bird guests. It’s 6:59 a.m., and if you’re so inclined to wake-up and make your way out to the bow of the ship soon you may join some early birds in welcoming the day with a nice sighting of a moose on the beach. We’re in Chatham Strait now and its 46 degrees and partly sunny with no wind. Breakfast will be ready at 7:30.” These were the gentle, encouraging words of our expedition leader, Sue Perin, coming through the intercom and rousing us from our sleep as we greeted this beautiful third day of our journey through Southeast Alaska.
Well, at least they were close to the words she spoke, as best as I can recall. Slow to wake and get out on the deck, I was too late for the moose, but in time for the adorable sea otters. Had it not been for the very slight wake following them, I would have thought they were still sleeping too, as they moved ever so slightly through the water, paws on chest, seeming to smile at us as we passed them by.
This seemed to be a good omen, as sightings of sea otters were too numerous to count throughout the remainder of the day. Rolling, cajoling, courting and even copulating, the frolicking otters captured our hearts and attention throughout the day, whether from the ship or the Zodiacs, they were key players in making memories of Alaska. Most guests ventured forth into the forest for exploratory hikes on bear trails and enjoyed many wonderful waterfalls in Red Bluff Bay, including one well over 700 feet.
A highlight for me, as the new underwater specialist, has been the relatively unexplored world under the water. Today’s dive near the Bay of Pillars took my buddy Justin and me down 55 feet in a strengthening incoming tide, where, amongst other things, we spotted two clown dorid nudibranchs, a giant Pacific octopus and a well camouflaged buffalo sculpin.
Under pastel colored skies of blue, pink and gray we digested a delicious dinner as we watched several humpback whales catching their own by lunge feeding on krill near the ship as we skirted the east side of Baranof Island, just off the village of Angoon. What a day!
