Our day started at dawn in Bartlett Cove where we picked up National Park Service Interpretative Ranger Andrea Markell and Hoonah Tlingit Cultural Interpreter William Horton-Garrison from Alaska Native Voices. As we cruised north up the bay we were soon accompanied by 25-30 killer whales that traveled with us for nearly an hour swimming and surfacing alongside the boat. By using on board catalogs of whales Carlos Navarro, our undersea specialist later identified this pod as AF22, considered “resident” killer whales of northern region of Southeast Alaska.
We continued northwards through Tarr Inlet and viewed coastal brown bears and mountain goats along the rugged shoreline. At the head of the inlet we put the engines in neutral and stood in silence amid floating ice and marveled at the spectacular Marjorie Glacier.
Returning south we stopped at South Marble Island seabird rookery where we watched glaucous-winged gulls, black-legged kittiwakes, pelagic cormorants, tufted puffins, sea otters and Steller sea lions that were hauled out on the nearby rocks.
Returning to Bartlett Cove we took advantage of the long Alaskan evening to disembark for evening walks in the surrounding rain forest.
Overall we enjoyed an incredible day of wildlife, weather, and camaraderie aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird.
