Exploring British Columbia

Today the Sea Lion spent a beautiful, warm, sunny day in the vicinity of Princess Royal Island in British Columbia, Canada.

We woke up to a foggy morning, listening to the sounds of waterfalls and piercing our sleepy eyes through binoculars in search for wildlife. As the fog lifted, the sun slowly poked its way through the misty clouds as we came to approach to our anchorage at Khutze Inlet. This beautiful Inlet offered us a picturesque view of the mountains, waterfalls, cedar trees, eagles flying across the sky and harbor seals poking their heads in and out of the misty glaze that surfaced the glassy water. This Inlet gave us a great opportunity to explore the wilderness and wear our rubber boots one last time. The hike had lots to offer. Some of us ended up bare foot and others tracked black and brown bear feet. It was an adventurous hike; we hiked through a river, stepped in some ditches, climbed over logs and we sloshed in our boots through the mud and water. Hiking through the river was the highlight of this adventure. As the tide was coming up very quickly and we were trying to get across, we shared lots of laughter and it gave us a greater bonding experience. We were also able to take the opportunity to kayak or go for a Zodiac cruise where we were able to get closer looks at the waterfalls surrounding the inlet and enjoy the serenity.

Before picking up our anchor, we were treated to a delightful deck lunch and a warm afternoon filled with sunshine and smiles. As we cruised south we spent the rest of our afternoon in searched for marine life, some of us read a book, some got spa treatments, and some took naps out in the sun. Our relaxation time was interrupted by Pacific white-sided dolphins that were bow riding and playing in our wake. It was an exciting moment for those of us who have a great desire for marine mammals as most of us ran around the ship to get great looks.

The day was filled with spectacular scenic views, an active morning and a peaceful afternoon. We will continue south through the evening through Queen Charlotte sound and wake up approaching the small town of Alert Bay to see what tomorrow will bring.