Today was an amazing day aboard National Geographic Sea Bird. The day started at George Island with hiking and kayaking. The hike was on a well-maintained trail that ended at a WWII artillery emplacement. At the top the trail hikers were rewarded with an incredibly clear view of Cross Sound, Glacier Bay National Park, and the Fairweather mountain range. Those who kayaked explored small coves carved into the surrounding granite rocks, paddled through fields on giant kelp, and got glimpses of jellyfish swimming below the surface.
In the afternoon we moved just a few miles over to the Inian Islands. Due to tides and strong currents flowing through the islands, we were able to witness an incredible upwelling event that brought an abundance of fish to the surface. From the Zodiacs we watched a feeding frenzy that brought in Steller sea lions, gulls, and bald eagles.
Just when we thought the day couldn’t get any better, we were lucky enough to witness a group of whales bubble net feeding near Point Adolphus. This humpback whale behavior is only seen in Alaska.
