This morning the National Geographic Sea Lion arrived at Icy Strait, one of the main entrances of the Gulf of Alaska. A sea otter greeted us as we sailed along the Idaho Inlet. The ship stopped briefly, so onlookers drinking their morning coffee could watch the otter rolling over and over in circles before them. After a few moments, we left the adorable sea otter and continued to our destination.
After breakfast, we came into an area called the Inian Islands. Here, we took two groups of expedition crafts to tour the islands. We found a huge number of Steller sea lions, lounging with one another on the coastlines.
Later in the afternoon, we cruised until we came to Port Althorp, located on the northern coast of Chichagof Island. The area is famous for perennial bear trails, as well as sea otters, harbor porpoises, and many seabirds. The guests had the choice of going on interpretive hikes, an exploratory "bushwhack" led by one of our naturalists, or kayaking. The day here in Southeast Alaska was full of exploration and adventure.
