Holy cannoli, what an amazing start to our two-week voyage! This morning inside of Icy Strait Captain Nettles sighted the blows of several humpback whales. The whales turned out to be a group of cooperative bubble-net feeding humpbacks, the gold star for finding whales in Southeast Alaska. We used our hull-mounted hydrophone and heard a faint feeding call moments before the whales broke the water’s surface in unison as they fed on helpless and hapless herring. The visual spectacle combined with the audio supplement made for a delectable start. For the afternoon our expedition watercraft were our vehicle of exploration. The Inian Islands did not disappoint as we found sea otters, Steller sea lions, a plethora of sea birds and magnificent Rapunzel-like fronds of bull kelp. All of this with calm seas and skies that could hold their water. A great start to our voyage that will take us from Southeast Alaska to, ultimately, Seattle, Washington.
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.