Early this morning, the National Geographic Sea Lion cruised slowly through Icy Strait, on her way towards her morning anchorage at the Hobbit Hole, just inside Cross Sound. During the early morning hours our ship remained quiet, waiting for slack water to make the passage through the Inian Islands and into the quiet and protected waters of the Hobbit Hole. Once inside, the Sea Lion anchored and was ready for morning activities. Icy Strait connects Cross Sound and the Gulf of Alaska with the waterways of Southeast Alaska. Through the tiny entrance of the Inian Islands, all the tidal waters entering the north end of Southeast Alaska pass (tides sometimes of over 25 feet) pour around these islands often creating standing waves. Because of this extraordinary and enormous flushing and upwelling of salt water, it is a smorgasbord of food for a myriad of predators who anxiously await the feast that is presented every six hours during the tidal changes. During this early summer season, added to the tidal upwellings, the seasonal salmon are returning to spawn. The salmon are moved by the very same tides and currents, which provides yet another large food supply for all those ready to harvest! Steller sea lions, bald eagles, killer whales, a variety of gulls, sea otters, and harbor porpoise are all present and benefiting from the abundant nutrients provided by the northern waters of Southeast Alaska.
Our day in the Inian islands began with Zodiac cruises in and around the small group of islands. We had an opportunity to ride the tides, observe, photograph and most importantly, be present when the very rich waters of Cross Sound fed so many. Bald eagles flew through the sky, chasing each other and other birds, all vying for leftovers from a harvest that a Steller Sea lion had brought up from the depths of Cross Sound. We watched a sea otter dive and bring to the surface a basket star and enjoy its own private feast on its belly. We watched smaller birds swooping in on sea lions, each bird hoping for a tiny scrap left over from the flinging of prey by the Sea lion! The trees along the islands were filled with Bald eagles, all watching with that “eagle eye” for a tasty bite of food left on the surface of the sea.
After two rounds of Zodiac rides we all returned to the Sea Lion for lunch. As we enjoyed our midday meal our ship repositioned to Fox Creek on Chichagof Island. Once anchored, kayaks were deployed to nearby Shaw Island for a lovely paddle in protected seas. Hikers went ashore at Fox Creek and enjoyed a coastal temperate forest with a jigsaw of Brown bear trails! AND, much to the delight of many, spring wild flowers were in full bloom! Wandering from one well used bear trail to another we found ourselves first looking down, then kneeling down then on our bellies exploring a world of vivid color, lovely shapes at this the bright and hopeful phase of the year. Northern rice lilies, shooting stars, wild strawberries, star flowers, Northern tway blades, Rein orchids, salmon berries, Nagoon berries, marsh marigold, and many more all showed off their flowers, attracting pollinators who were flying about.
As the afternoon light moved west in the sky, we all made our way back to the Sea lion ready for another evening recap, a fine dinner, an evening presentation and early retirement. Tomorrow would be Glacier Bay, a promise of another bright and sunny day in Southeast Alaska, and the opportunity to see yet another sampling of its treasures.
