It's hard to believe we packed so much into one day! We woke up in Idaho Inlet, a narrow slice of water cutting into northern Chichagof Island. Waters were flat calm; everything was in shades of gray. Floating placidly, unperturbed by our presence, were rafts of wily water weasels—sea otters, the superstars of survival! Returning to north Pacific waters with a vengeance matched by the appetite of King Kong, sea otters are reshaping the underwater world beneath our hull by doing what they do best: eating. A couple otters bobbed past, crabs, clams, and other delicacies balanced on their tummies as they chomped them to bits with gusto. Inspired, we followed their example and headed to breakfast.
Our morning was filled with excitement as we leapt onto our expedition landing craft and puttered out into the Inian Islands. Known as the "Serengeti of Southeast," the Inians sported a variety of sea and avian life focused on search-and-destroy missions targeting fish caught in the turbid waters of a flooding tide. Steller sea lions frolicked and smacked fish against the water's surface, breaking them into bite-sized chunks and providing a quick buffet table for the gulls. Tufted and horned puffins buzzed the boats, pigeon guillemots peeped, and eagles swooped from the trees to snatch fish from the waves. A humpback whale arced between the expedition landing craft and jellies surfed the currents. Mary Jo Lord, a guest invited aboard from the tiny community of Elfin Cove, entertained us with stories of life in small town Alaska, and after lunch we walked full circle around the boardwalk community.
Afternoon operations were focused on George Island, a delightful spot of land offering an intriguing mix of history, fun, and beauty. Walkers headed to a WWII gun emplacement guarding the entrance to the northern Inside Passage and discussed Alaska's war history. Kayakers paddled around a protected cove and recovered an unusual treasure of gooseneck barnacles clinging to a bottle for evening Recap. The kids enjoyed George Island's epic swing, flying high over the forest with sweeping views above the beach.
The day concluded with a delicious meal followed by a presentation on glaciers by our friendly shipboard geologist Al Trujillo.
