Funter Bay and Iyoukeen Cove
Summer in Southeast Alaska is always wonderful; magnificent landscapes, immense forests, bears and whales make for a great combination. However, some days are just plain amazing, as was the case today. The clear skies and sunny weather revealed the beauty of Funter Bay in its entire splendor. Located on the northwest portion of Admiralty Island, Funter Bay gave us a wonderful morning that we won’t forget: bubble-net feeding humpback whales after breakfast!
We admired the multiple performances of a group of whales as they repeatedly utilized that amazing feeding technique. The use of a hydrophone allowed us to listen to their underwater calls and anticipate their surfacing. To watch several whales breaking the surface, with their mouths wide open, in a perfectly synchronized way, is something that we never get tired of. We watched the whales for a long time and had no intention to stop doing so until something else called for our immediate attention: killer whales!
Only the top predator in the world’s oceans could make for an even greater morning. A whole pod of resident killer whales – composed of two big males, several females and one young calf – traveled slowly through the glassy waters; their majestic presence and beauty, coupled with great light and backgrounds were the delight of everyone on board. For hours the National Geographic Sea Bird sailed with the pod and we all got excellent views, pictures and – most importantly – memories of them.
After an unforgettable morning, we spent the afternoon at Iyoukeen Cove on Chichagof Island, where we hiked and kayaked. Well, our bodies did, because our minds were still thinking of whales!
