Chatham Strait & Kelp Bay
Most of us were up late watching humpbacks illuminated by the pink Alaskan twilight in Frederick Sound. With visions of humpbacks still dancing in our heads, we were pleasantly surprised to wake up to a large pod of orcas surrounding the ship. We ventured out to the bow right at first light to witness multiple breaches and spy hops executed by several of the pods’ younger animals. It was estimated that there were at least 50 animals in the area. We traveled north in Chatham strait for four hours with these amazing whales.
During lunch we continued further north into Kelp Bay. In the bay’s protected waters the crew and staff of the Sea Lion set up the ship’s candy-colored kayaks on Crow Island – one of the many islets dotting the bay. The expedition staff discovered a new hiking area on nearby Pond Island where animal trails dominated the landscape. Red squirrels had multiple middens at the base of spruce trees while signs of deer and bear were scattered along the grassy meadow.
Those of us who paddled the calm bay waters were serenaded by the cries of bald eagles, sneezing harbor seals and ravens calling on the wing. On another of the small islets a pair of bald eagles was standing guard on their nest. Their bright white heads stood out against the Sitka spruce green.
Most of us were up late watching humpbacks illuminated by the pink Alaskan twilight in Frederick Sound. With visions of humpbacks still dancing in our heads, we were pleasantly surprised to wake up to a large pod of orcas surrounding the ship. We ventured out to the bow right at first light to witness multiple breaches and spy hops executed by several of the pods’ younger animals. It was estimated that there were at least 50 animals in the area. We traveled north in Chatham strait for four hours with these amazing whales.
During lunch we continued further north into Kelp Bay. In the bay’s protected waters the crew and staff of the Sea Lion set up the ship’s candy-colored kayaks on Crow Island – one of the many islets dotting the bay. The expedition staff discovered a new hiking area on nearby Pond Island where animal trails dominated the landscape. Red squirrels had multiple middens at the base of spruce trees while signs of deer and bear were scattered along the grassy meadow.
Those of us who paddled the calm bay waters were serenaded by the cries of bald eagles, sneezing harbor seals and ravens calling on the wing. On another of the small islets a pair of bald eagles was standing guard on their nest. Their bright white heads stood out against the Sitka spruce green.
