This day was incredible from beginning to end. We woke up in the morning to a foggy entrance to the Inian Islands. We were met quickly by sea otters and soon humpback whales. It was wonderful witnessing everyone’s squeals of delight as we heard the scattered whale blows. It was hard to believe that this was all before 8:00 a.m.
After breakfast we headed out for Zodiac tours through the Inian Islands, and soon the day started getting even better. We not only saw more humpback whales, but we also got great views of Steller sea lions, sea otters, and incredible seabirds. At this location — set next to the open waters of the Pacific Ocean and some serious upwelling — it was no surprise that we were surrounded by wildlife.
But it did not end there. We headed to Salt Chuck Bay where we went on gorgeous hikes and kayaked. We saw salmon spawning in the rivers, and a trip highlight: two brown bears feeding near the beach. We were able to watch the bears quietly and respectfully as they lived their lives naturally. The entire day was an absolute privilege.
