Inian Islands, Elfin Cove and George Island
Early this morning, a sky marbled with clouds and hues of blue allowed the golden light to illuminate our surroundings. Whales surfaced in many directions and we had a wonderful time whale watching just before breakfast.
Our first destination of the day was the Inian Islands. These jewels surrounded by an impressively productive sea enjoy the highest level of protection any land can get. The land portion of this landscape is mostly a wilderness area, and it is practically untouched. We visit this place because it is really special. Our morning cruises by boat revealed the magic of this place. The largest sea lion species in the world is quite common here. Steller’s sea lions find this area an excellent feeding habitat as the violent currents are triggered by the changing tides. Bald eagles, pigeon guillemots, and a few sea otters, among many other marine birds, were seen feeding in this extremely rich and wild habitat.
After cruising through the Inians, we had a chance to see a very small community called Elfin Cove. Elfin Cove is a boardwalk community with a very small population. Here we could understand how men, women and children from remote areas can make an honorable living away from it all. It is always interesting to see how happiness can be found in nature, without many of the modern marvels of technology.
George Island is located not too far from Elfin Cove. Here is where we spent our afternoon, exploring by kayak, Zodiac and by foot. Some of us hiked through the groomed trails of George Island, all the way up to an elevated view point. From here we witnessed some World War II history in a gun emplacement that was expected to intersect potential attacks from the Japanese coming in through Cross Sound. Kayakers, Zodiac cruisers, and even the hikers could see humpback whales blowing on the horizon and sea lions roaring from the rocks.
After dinner we had another wonderful show of humpback whales. Several groups of about five to nine individuals were seen traveling and feeding together. Whales could be seen in every direction blowing, raising their tail flukes and we could even hear some loud trumpeting exhalations. We started and ended the day surrounded by humpback whales, and everything in between was an amazing wildlife experience.
