Our day started with a view of mountains glowing in the misty morning light as we dropped anchor in Haines, Alaska. We had an early breakfast and headed off for a day full of adventure and activity. One group headed north to learn about Tlingit culture in the traditional village Klukwan and then float the Chilkat River. After visiting the smoke house, learning about canoe carving and watching a tribal dance, the group departed on rafts to admire the mountain scenery and watch bald eagles fishing in the river.
Another group left the boat on bicycles and headed to the Chilkoot River on the other side of the peninsula. We rode along the Lynn Canal and made our way to Chilkoot Lake, looking for bears and fly fishermen along the way. Another group headed off to explore on foot, taking on the ambitious challenge of Mount Riley. On this hike we finally got a close-up look at the temperate rainforest and gained some altitude in search of panoramic vistas.
In addition to these adventures we also had an amazing opportunity to fly on a small airplane to get a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding mountains and glaciers. We cruised through several valleys and saw mountain goats balancing on the cliffs, moose grazing along the braided rivers and bears strolling through meadows. We then ventured up further over the Davidson and Mead Glaciers, trying to fathom the size and magnitude of these immense rivers of ice.
Back in town we had time to explore the quaint town of Haines, including the local brewery, museums, restaurants, and fishing docks. We finished up our day of adventure with a feast of Dungeness crabs on board the National Geographic Sea Bird, watching the evening light slowly fade on the surrounding mountain peaks.
