With a heartfelt thanks to former President Jimmy Carter, today we explored the Misty Fjords National Monument, which he signed into existence in 1978. It is easy to see why this is sometimes called the Yosemite of the North, with sheer walls reaching over a thousand feet skyward. Down at the water level, our kayakers paddled while curious harbor seals contemplated these odd semi-aquatic creatures, us! There was obviously a salmon stream at the end of the fjord as numerous mature and immature eagles sat perched on logs, boulders, and sandbars, occasionally squabbling over a carcass. This was a diverse and stunning introduction to the Southeast Alaska landscape.