The National Geographic Sea Bird arrived at the main dock in front of the Glacier Bay National Park lodge early on a crystal-clear spring day. Temperatures were quite cool but the skies were clear and we could see for miles! After the park service rangers and Tlingit interpreters boarded our vessel, we began our journey north up Tarr Inlet for a day exploring a small section of the national park’s 3.3 million acres. Throughout the day, Ranger Patrick and tribal member Joe Valle made several presentations, and also joined us on the bow as the Sea Bird cruised over a hundred miles round-trip within Tarr Inlet. We stopped at four tidewater glaciers, took a quick look at Tidal and Geikie Inlets, and spent time searching for wildlife on land. Along with mountain goats at Gloomy Knob, we also saw several brown bears and one very large black bear! We encountered several large rafts of sea otters, including mothers and babies, who continued to scoot out of the way as the Sea Bird maneuvered. After Recap and dinner, the Sea Bird positioned back to Bartlett Cove, and many of us enjoyed sunset walks. In the last light of day, we made our way through a newly formed coastal temperate rain forest, watching the sun set on the Fairweather Mountains on the west coast of Glacier Bay National Park.
5/15/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Inian Islands, AK
The drizzling rain of the early morning cleared off for the start of our Zodiac tours through the dazzling Inian Islands. The Islands are incredibly special due to their geographic location. As the northernmost opening to the Inside Passage, tons of billions of gallons of water funnel in from the Pacific Ocean and cause an oceanic phenomenon called upwelling, where cold, nutrient dense water rises to the surface. Marine animals flock to these waters for the availability of food and resources. We were able to view sea otters, sea lions, and many bird species. The Zodiac tours had some of the most amazing views of the coastal waters, spruce covered islands, and wildlife. We ended the morning with a visit to the Tidelines Institute, a non-profit educational institute founded by Lindblad Naturalist and PhD in climate science, Zach Brown. The afternoon was filled with presentations, briefings, and our guest slideshow to end the evening during our transit up to Sitka. It was a fantastic ending to a great trip.
