There was a bit of jealousy at our first breakfast together. Some were upset that they did not stay up long enough to see the bears while others could not believe they slept in and missed the first whale sightings of our trip.
After a short safety briefing on hiking in bear country and proper boat etiquette, our hiking groups prepared to explore part of Baranoff Island with a hike through the Tongass Rainforest to Lake Eva. This gorgeous trail winds through the mossy forest following a salmon stream. The brown bear scat informed us that we were not the only ones enjoying the seemingly limitless bounty of blueberries. There were plenty of bald eagles, kingfishers, and great blue herons enjoying the plentiful food supply provided by the stream.
Later in the day, we were lucky enough to cruise to Freshwater Bay with enough time to drop boats and explore a famous salmon stream at Pavlof Harbor. Though nothing was guaranteed, all our guests were fortunate enough to view multiple brown bears hunting salmon in the bountiful waters.
After the once in a lifetime sighting, we retired to the ship for our first recap. Those guests under the age of twenty enjoyed a pizza party in the lounge and the kickoff of the Global Explorers program.
