After a night of riding the swells across Hectate Strait, we woke to calm waters alongside Mary Island. Coffee in hand, we watched three humpback whales just off the unique square lighthouse. After breakfast we entered Behm Canal and the Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness. Here, we have a Lindblad tradition where guests travel ahead of the ship via Zodiac and photograph National Geographic Sea Lion as she comes through Owl Pass. On her port side is a massive natural rock formation that resembles the face of an owl. Further up, the calm waters at the head of Rudyerd Bay allows for fun Zodiac rides and kayaking. Sediments in the shallow waters sparkled with golden glitter flakes of pyrite. We wrapped up the day with cocktail hour on the bow as we paused in the glorious God’s Punchbowl off Rudyerd Pass.
5/15/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Inian Islands, AK
The drizzling rain of the early morning cleared off for the start of our Zodiac tours through the dazzling Inian Islands. The Islands are incredibly special due to their geographic location. As the northernmost opening to the Inside Passage, tons of billions of gallons of water funnel in from the Pacific Ocean and cause an oceanic phenomenon called upwelling, where cold, nutrient dense water rises to the surface. Marine animals flock to these waters for the availability of food and resources. We were able to view sea otters, sea lions, and many bird species. The Zodiac tours had some of the most amazing views of the coastal waters, spruce covered islands, and wildlife. We ended the morning with a visit to the Tidelines Institute, a non-profit educational institute founded by Lindblad Naturalist and PhD in climate science, Zach Brown. The afternoon was filled with presentations, briefings, and our guest slideshow to end the evening during our transit up to Sitka. It was a fantastic ending to a great trip.