We woke at 6 a.m. aboard National Geographic Sea Bird as we reached our Canadian checkpoint in Prince Rupert on the western coast of British Columbia. Canadian customs agents boarded the ship and then cleared us to set off in our expedition landing crafts to explore the town. We spent the morning and early afternoon walking about this sleepy port village, visiting the Museum of Northern British Columbia and perusing the shops, business-front murals, and cafés. Prince Rupert has a population of more than 12,000 people and is one of the deepest water ports on the western Canadian coast. The city is served by a road system, the Alaska Marine Highway, and a rail system that serves mainland Canada, delivering goods that arrive from overseas by container ship. After we departed, we cruised along the Canadian Inside Passage, watching for wildlife as cumulus clouds built up and drifted overhead, and we passed what at first glance appeared to be a barge adrift in the sound. We realized that in fact what we were seeing was a light station situated on an island in the shape of a small ship. Onto Hecate Strait and Haida Gwaii.
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.