George Island—Point Adolphous
Sea otters swimming gracefully on their backs greeted us as the National Geographic Sea Lion slipped into Idaho Inlet at daybreak. Soft, velvety clouds hugged the rugged, green slopes of the inlet and slipped across the placid surface of the water as we quietly watched the contented otters. They scrubbed their thick fur and cleaned themselves as they prepared to hunt for their breakfast. Soon we had to leave the amusing otters since we had our own plans for a morning of fun and excitement at nearby George Island.
After breakfast, the National Geographic Sea Lion anchored in Granite Cove, a protected bay on the eastern side of George Island. The Pacific Ocean beats against this small island located at the northern mouth of the Inside Passage. During World War Two, American troops occupied George Island and defended it against a Japanese invasion that never came. After the war, they left behind buildings and a large gun emplacement. Guests had the opportunity to see these war relics, as well as view the abundant wildlife found on the island. We also explored the island at water level by Zodiac and kayak. The falling tide yielded a rich profusion of sea stars and other fascinating Pacific Ocean sea life.
During lunch, we sailed a short distance to our new anchorage in the Inian Islands. Once again we boarded our Zodiacs and cast off to look for humpback whales, Steller’s sea lions, sea otters, and other sea creatures that live around these rocky, exposed islands. We quickly found large numbers of Steller’s sea lions playfully splashing in the rough waters. Pink salmon pass through the narrow openings between the islands in large numbers on the incoming tide and the sea lions eagerly devour the fish. We also spotted horned and tufted puffins fishing for their own meals in the shallows. Misty spouts and dark flukes revealed the presence of humpback whales. Remarkably, these giant creatures eat the same small fish as the puffins. As the mists began to settle around us, we bade farewell to these beautiful creatures and made our way back to the National Geographic Sea Lion for our dinner. With full stomachs and contented hearts we look forward to a day of adventure and majestic beauty in Glacier Bay National Park.
Sea otters swimming gracefully on their backs greeted us as the National Geographic Sea Lion slipped into Idaho Inlet at daybreak. Soft, velvety clouds hugged the rugged, green slopes of the inlet and slipped across the placid surface of the water as we quietly watched the contented otters. They scrubbed their thick fur and cleaned themselves as they prepared to hunt for their breakfast. Soon we had to leave the amusing otters since we had our own plans for a morning of fun and excitement at nearby George Island.
After breakfast, the National Geographic Sea Lion anchored in Granite Cove, a protected bay on the eastern side of George Island. The Pacific Ocean beats against this small island located at the northern mouth of the Inside Passage. During World War Two, American troops occupied George Island and defended it against a Japanese invasion that never came. After the war, they left behind buildings and a large gun emplacement. Guests had the opportunity to see these war relics, as well as view the abundant wildlife found on the island. We also explored the island at water level by Zodiac and kayak. The falling tide yielded a rich profusion of sea stars and other fascinating Pacific Ocean sea life.
During lunch, we sailed a short distance to our new anchorage in the Inian Islands. Once again we boarded our Zodiacs and cast off to look for humpback whales, Steller’s sea lions, sea otters, and other sea creatures that live around these rocky, exposed islands. We quickly found large numbers of Steller’s sea lions playfully splashing in the rough waters. Pink salmon pass through the narrow openings between the islands in large numbers on the incoming tide and the sea lions eagerly devour the fish. We also spotted horned and tufted puffins fishing for their own meals in the shallows. Misty spouts and dark flukes revealed the presence of humpback whales. Remarkably, these giant creatures eat the same small fish as the puffins. As the mists began to settle around us, we bade farewell to these beautiful creatures and made our way back to the National Geographic Sea Lion for our dinner. With full stomachs and contented hearts we look forward to a day of adventure and majestic beauty in Glacier Bay National Park.
