Continuing our journey north, National Geographic Sea Bird made its way through the narrow waterways that British Columbia provides. The morning brought the mist typical to the northwest landscape, layering the upper reaches of the forest with a dense layer of marine fog, setting the tone for the day’s exploration. Taking to our expedition landing crafts, our guests were brought to their first landing upon natural soil. With eagles and raven calling high above in the trees, some took to wandering the density of the temperate rainforest with cameras in hand. While others boarded kayaks in order to paddle atop the water, circling the nearby islands and viewing the revelations that a dropping tide can bring.
Boarding again for lunch, we continued to peer toward the shoreline in hopes that some wildlife would appear, and appear it did. After a morning where Dall’s porpoises were excitedly riding our bow, the marine mammal show was just getting started. Encountering our first humpback whale of the trip, we watched as it repeatedly dove in search of a meal - the first sign of many more to come. Our next visitor was a brown bear on shore, turning over rocks during the low tide in search of a vagrant fish or mussel to turn into a meal. But the crown jewel of the day was the rarest of bears upon the northwest coast – a spirit bear! Pulling into Butedale, our planned anchorage for the evening, which is spectacular for its history of the collapsed cannery and nearby waterfall, we were treated to a sighting of the genetic anomaly of a black bear with a creamy white coat. Guests abandoned their desserts to rush to the bow in order to catch a sighting, and though the rain was strong, our excitement encouraged us to stay.
