Once again, we awoke aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird to find the sun rising over the mountains, this time as we approached Juneau, Alaska’s capitol. Upon arriving at the city dock, we were greeted by Hilary and Erica, the lovely bus drivers charged with taking us to the wonderful city sights. Hilary and Erica delighted us with Alaskan lore and bear stories as we drove along the scenic wetlands and creeks of Gastineau Channel on the outskirts of the city. Our first stop was the Mendenhall Glacier, a beautiful land-locked ice sheet that terminates in the turquoise Mendenhall Lake. The forests surrounding the glacier were alive with the chorus of songbirds, among them Wilson’s, yellow-rumped and orange-crowned warblers, and ruby-crowned kinglets, while calling Arctic terns hovered over the lake’s ice-free patches. These sounds, together with the melting ice, cascading waterfalls, and emerging vegetation heralded the arrival of spring.
After enjoying our time at the glacier (and further tales from Hilary and Erica), some of us visited the interesting State Museum of Alaska, while others strolled along Juneau’s historic streets. Others still rode the precarious tram to the top of Mount Roberts for a dramatic view of Juneau and its surrounding mountains. By the time we returned to the ship and set course for Stephens Passage, we had all enjoyed some of the city’s many highlights.
Upon leaving Juneau, we were soon greeted by a female humpback whale and her calf. The pair had likely just arrived in Alaska from the warm calving grounds in Hawaii, and the young calf stayed close to its mother as they traveled along Stephens Passage. We watched them as they swam together, lazily breathing at the surface, before slipping below the surface without raising their flukes. At one point, they swam close enough to the National Geographic Sea Bird that we could see the milky-white patches common on the backs of very young calves.
Leaving the whales behind, we then headed inside to learn about the region’s sea otters and pinnipeds, marine mammals we will no doubt encounter in the days ahead. But again, we were soon drawn to the bow with the sighting of another pair of humpback whales. Whale watching, historic city tours, and engaging presentations—another full and enriching day in Southeast Alaska!
