Fox Creek-Inian Islands-Point Adolphus
The rosy rays of dawn found the National Geographic Sea Lion anchored in Idaho Inlet, a narrow body of water at the northern tip of Chichagof Island. Harbor porpoises and sea otters splashed nearby in the glassy water as we prepared for a morning of hiking and kayaking at beautiful Fox Creek. After breakfast, we landed on the rocky shore by Zodiac and prepared to explore the meadows and forests along the creek. In the forest, we discovered a habitual bear trail, a mossy patch where the large brown bears of this island step in each other’s footprints. Generations of bear paws have worn bare spots in the moss and have left a lasting record of their presence. We also hiked to a large muskeg bog, an area of poor drainage filled by sphagnum moss. The moss makes the water and soil highly acidic. This deters the growth of bacteria that helps break down organic matter. The result is nutrient-poor environment filled with odd and unusual plants. We identified carnivorous sun-dews, as well as bog cranberry, Labrador tea, and crowberry plants in the spongy ground. We also saw stunted western yellow cedar trees, an unusual sight in this northern region.
Guests also had the opportunity to kayak around nearby Shaw Island. These quiet, human-powered vessels provided an ideal means for observing the abundant marine life at the water’s edge. We could easily see sea stars, jellies, and other creatures in the shallows. Further away, we saw a female sea otter and young pup swimming peacefully. Following our circumnavigation of the island, we returned to our floating home away from home.
After lunch, the National Geographic Sea Lion sailed to the nearby Inian Islands. These small, heavily forested islands stand at the mouth of the Inside Passage. The surging Pacific Ocean breaks against their shoreline and provides an ideal habitat for a large variety of marine mammals. Once again, our Zodiacs provided the perfect exploration platform for our afternoon adventure. We traveled a short distance to a sea lion haul-out. Large Steller’s sea lions basked on the rocks and playfully swam in the water near our Zodiacs. We watched these massive, but graceful, animals surfing waves generated by the incoming tide and flipping almost completely out of the water. One caught a rockfish and violently tore it apart as it munched on the bright orange flesh. Overhead, gulls, pigeon guillemots, and tufted puffins turned and whirled as they searched for their own food in the surging ocean waters. In the distance, four humpback whales spouted and flashed their black and white flukes. Eventually, we bade farewell to our newfound marine friends and returned to the warm comfort of the National Geographic Sea Lion. As the sky gradually darkened over Icy Strait, we looked forward to a new day of fun and adventure in Glacier Bay National Park.
The rosy rays of dawn found the National Geographic Sea Lion anchored in Idaho Inlet, a narrow body of water at the northern tip of Chichagof Island. Harbor porpoises and sea otters splashed nearby in the glassy water as we prepared for a morning of hiking and kayaking at beautiful Fox Creek. After breakfast, we landed on the rocky shore by Zodiac and prepared to explore the meadows and forests along the creek. In the forest, we discovered a habitual bear trail, a mossy patch where the large brown bears of this island step in each other’s footprints. Generations of bear paws have worn bare spots in the moss and have left a lasting record of their presence. We also hiked to a large muskeg bog, an area of poor drainage filled by sphagnum moss. The moss makes the water and soil highly acidic. This deters the growth of bacteria that helps break down organic matter. The result is nutrient-poor environment filled with odd and unusual plants. We identified carnivorous sun-dews, as well as bog cranberry, Labrador tea, and crowberry plants in the spongy ground. We also saw stunted western yellow cedar trees, an unusual sight in this northern region.
Guests also had the opportunity to kayak around nearby Shaw Island. These quiet, human-powered vessels provided an ideal means for observing the abundant marine life at the water’s edge. We could easily see sea stars, jellies, and other creatures in the shallows. Further away, we saw a female sea otter and young pup swimming peacefully. Following our circumnavigation of the island, we returned to our floating home away from home.
After lunch, the National Geographic Sea Lion sailed to the nearby Inian Islands. These small, heavily forested islands stand at the mouth of the Inside Passage. The surging Pacific Ocean breaks against their shoreline and provides an ideal habitat for a large variety of marine mammals. Once again, our Zodiacs provided the perfect exploration platform for our afternoon adventure. We traveled a short distance to a sea lion haul-out. Large Steller’s sea lions basked on the rocks and playfully swam in the water near our Zodiacs. We watched these massive, but graceful, animals surfing waves generated by the incoming tide and flipping almost completely out of the water. One caught a rockfish and violently tore it apart as it munched on the bright orange flesh. Overhead, gulls, pigeon guillemots, and tufted puffins turned and whirled as they searched for their own food in the surging ocean waters. In the distance, four humpback whales spouted and flashed their black and white flukes. Eventually, we bade farewell to our newfound marine friends and returned to the warm comfort of the National Geographic Sea Lion. As the sky gradually darkened over Icy Strait, we looked forward to a new day of fun and adventure in Glacier Bay National Park.
