The excitement was palpable this morning on board National Geographic Sea Bird. We all knew this would be the very first time any of us had hiked in this area of Glacier Bay National Park in Southeast Alaska. Expedition Leader Jeff Phillippe had scouted the area last week and determined that we should try it out as an expedition outing—and what a great decision that proved to be!
The day dawned clear and bright as our first group of pre-breakfast hikers explored the grassy meadows and mudflats of Fern Harbor. Brown bear and moose tracks were evidence of the prolific life in the area. As the morning continued, more of us hiked, kayaked, and toured by expedition landing craft around this beautiful part of Glacier Bay National Park!
Our afternoon was spent in the presence of bald eagles, Steller sea lions, harbor porpoise, sea otters, and humpback whales in the Inian Islands. The proximity to nature prompted 9-year-old guest Analise Chin to pen the following haiku:
Bald Eagles
Majestic Raptors
Talons shred, eyes spot, bears shriek
Soaring bald eagles
