Today marks our third day exploring Southeast Alaska. We began
the morning cruising through the Lynn Canal, Southeast Alaska’s largest fjord,
to reach Haines, a quaint Alaskan town where we will be exploring all day. Here
our guests viewed the Tongass National Forest and nearby glaciers by bikes,
hikes, rafts, wading and flights.
At our evening recap, I had the chance to speak with a few guests
about their experiences. Those who went on the raft enjoyed visiting the local
areas that are home to the Tlingit people of this area. They also had a great
time cruising in an adventurous style, rocking down the Chilkat River, enjoy
the bald eagles and views as they cruised by. The stream levels were a little
low, but the local guides navigated our guests through swimmingly.
For those who wanted a little more movement, they found their way
to the hike options of the day. The coastal hike led guests to the outer edge
of town, trotting through the muddy terrain they found views of the Davidson
and Rainbow Glaciers. At the same time, others were admiring these trails and
glaciers by air. All guests who experienced the small plane rides were over the
top full of joy. There truly is no better way to see a different perspective of
the places you visit then by cruising above. While it was windy and raining
along the coast, the wind cleared a path above the glaciers, and their blue
color was extra vibrant without the bright sun shining down on them.
Yet another great way to see the area was by biking out the road
towards the Chilkoot Lake. Peddling along the western side of the Lynn Canal,
guests got to immerse themselves in a screensaver-worthy view. Coastal brown bears
were spotted fishing along the way, as they made their way up to the lake.
Along the same path we had three guests brave the cold waters and give fly
fishing a try! A fishing sport that requires patience and finesse, these ladies
gave it their all as pink salmon went by.
To top it all off, tonight was our Alaskan Crab Night and local
food tasting. From candied salmon to kelp salsa, chocolates, and of course
Dungeness crab, we experienced the best of the best local treats. Yet another
memorable day exploring aboard National Geographic Sea Bird.