Morning aboard National Geographic Sea Lion started with us pulling into an anchorage right outside Haines, Alaska. To start the day’s activities, guests were shuttled to the dock to explore this quaint Alaskan town and meet their local guides for various activities. With choices ranging from a bicycle tour, fly fishing, hiking Mount Riley, and floating down the Chilkat River, there was something for everyone. As we packed up for the day, lunches were distributed so everyone could optimize their time in Haines or even stop at the local brewery. Returning in waves, everyone was back on board for a lovely dinner prepared by head chef Neal Skannes and his galley team. After dinner, naturalist and photo instructor Eric Guth presented on glaciers with, “The Life of a Snowflake.” While listening to Eric’s presentation, guests enjoyed sweet chocolate mousse, the perfect ending to an even sweeter day.
5/7/2025
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Inian Islands, Port Althorp
The Inian Islands invoke sheer joy and excitement among the naturalists, which in turn, is transferred to the guests. We set out in Zodiacs, traversing in nearly unprecedented calm conditions through the narrow Mosquito Pass, then around North Inian Island. We observed over a dozen bald eagles and sea lions waiting for the inrushing tide to bring fish to the surface for easy pickings. We also saw a couple of male sea otters peacefully lying on the surface while fluffing up their fur to introduce air for insulation (they don’t have blubber). The weather was classic Alaska…sun grading to rain…then to partly cloudy. In the afternoon, we traveled to Port Althorp for kayaking and hikes. Again, very calm conditions with intermittent sun and rain. The hikes were beautiful, winding across the mud flats and into the thick rainforest painted with several shades of green. Bear trails were observed and used by us as convenient paths to follow. Kayakers slowly paddled across glassy water to enjoy the peace and solitude. The day ended with soft sun.
