This morning, those of us on the bow of National Geographic Sea Bird were greeted by harbor porpoises - little “puffing pigs” that darted about as they chased fish in front of the vessel. But unlike the bow-riding Dall’s porpoises from the night before, these shy animals didn’t stay around for long so we continued on our way to our morning destination, the Inian Islands.
The Inian’s separate the inside waters of Southeast Alaska from the vast Gulf of Alaska. Water streaming through the narrow passages to the north and south of the islands create rich upwelling conditions that concentrate nutrients near the surface. An abundance of fish come to forage in these turbulent emerald waters, and in turn, so do their predators. It was a remarkable sight to observe large northern sea lions, some up to 2,000 pounds, splashing about and throwing fish into the air. The white heads of bald eagles could be seen dotting the treetops along the rugged coastline, while gulls swirled about, occasionally diving after scraps leftover by the sea lions. In the distance, humpback whales blew tall bushy spouts as they surfaced between dives. The sounds were equally remarkable: the baying and barking of sea lions, cackling gulls, and roaring standing waves. And all of this delightful chaos was framed by the Fairweather mountain range and peacock-blue skies above. Undoubtedly, this is one of the most magical places in Southeast Alaska.
After lunch, National Geographic Sea Bird repositioned to Idaho Inlet on the north shore of Chichagof Island. While some of us set out to sight-see on the expedition landing crafts, the rest headed for shore to explore Fox Creek and the surrounding forest. With no established paths, we followed bear trails through dense and tangled temperate rain forest. A few groups found direct evidence of brown bears – fresh claw marks and hair on the bark of trees. Another group pressed deep into the forest, bushwhacking over several creeks and up the side of a mountain, lightheartedly questioning the “moderate’ label given to the hike before they left. Whichever path they chose, everyone returned happy and invigorated. Somehow, each day keeps rivaling the one before it.
