We woke up in Icy Strait to a magical pastel-colored sunrise and moonset, where red-necked phalaropes escorted us toward foraging humpback whales. The early birds got the view, for shortly after breakfast the fog rolled in and turned our entire world 18% gray! A dedicated few were later rewarded with close looks at harbor porpoises, black-legged kittiwakes, common murres, and sea otters. We spotted more humpback whales in pockets of clearing, further cementing the “must be present to win” mentality of the dedicated watchers on the bow.
Luckily, the fog cleared as we approached our midday anchorage, and our afternoon Zodiac cruises in the Inian Islands were chock full of the dynamic environmental interplay we love about this area. Currents and upwellings rocked our world as eagles, sea lions, sea otters, and countless other critters swirled above, below, and around us.
We finished our afternoon with a wonderful visit to the Tidelands Institute. All in all, it was an amazing day in an amazing place!
