Today we began our Alaskan adventure in the Magoun Islands. These Islands, though not too distant from Sitka, are a unique and beautiful place. There we kayaked, hiked, bushwhacked, and embarked on Zodiac tours. With a busy morning and afternoon, we expected the evening to be relaxing. Alaska, however, had other plans. We spotted breaching humpback whales and spent the rest of the night watching the sunset while humpbacks played. What an amazing first day.
7/21/2024
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National Geographic Venture
Chichagof Island and the Inian Islands
We left Sitka last night under a low ceiling of clouds. At daybreak, the sun briefly punched through the clouds, illuminating the snowy peaks and calm waters of western Chichagof Island. The ship cruised into the lustrous scene and anchored in Lisianski Inlet. We dispersed to various beaches for different hikes, to experience the wilderness and introduce ourselves to the temperate rainforest and the Tongass National Forest. The tide was low, and many of the groups were able to admire sea stars and intertidal life in the landing zones. Following brunch, we made our way north to the Inian Islands. However, wind and fog prevented us from safely dropping Zodiacs for tours there. Our expedition leader pivoted, and we set course for a known humpback whale feeding area called Port Adolphus. Along the way, we were sidetracked by a small group of orcas! We pivoted again and tailed the whales at a respectful distance. After about an hour, we set course for the humpbacks, and we were rewarded with active groups of feeding, pectoral slapping, and occasionally breaching whales. The whale action didn’t end there — after dinner, we stopped for bubble-net feeding whales!