Overnight, National Geographic Sea Lion brought us through Frederick Sound from Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness to the town of Petersburg, Alaska. We spent the morning exploring the historic town with our cameras, and some guests took a trail through the misty temperate rainforest to visit a muskeg. We boarded the ship in the afternoon and headed south, enjoying the scenery in Wrangell Narrows as we cruised along looking for wildlife. Later in the afternoon, naturalist Bette Lu Krause gave a wonderful talk about her time as a young woman on the high seas travelling the world as a merchant marine. In the evening, just as we were about to sit for dinner, we got a visit from a pod of killer whales! Everyone enjoyed sunset on the bow as we watched these incredible mammals. After some time enjoying their company, we were beckoned back to the dining room for crab night—a crowd favorite—and capped off the evening with a very humorous and insightful talk about the life cycle of salmon by naturalist Luke Manson.
4/24/2024
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Old Massett, Haida Gwaii
Back to Daajing Giids! After an incredible day in SGang Gwaay visiting an ancestral village with still-standing historic totem poles, our Haida hosts thought it appropriate to bring us to Old Massett – and what a joy it was! This remarkable township is home to two master carvers responsible for sharing their culture far and wide. Jim Hart showed us his home studio where we got to meet his mother and his son. Together, Jim and his son shared the stories of the three totem poles outside of their home, each with a unique story regarding close family members. Another master carver some 5 minutes down the road, Christian White, beckoned us into his carving shed where he and his apprentices were actively shaping a canoe out of red cedar. Christian and Jim honor their ancestors’ legacies by training young Haida as carvers, each having several apprentices. In both workshops, the smell of newly carved cedar brought a sense of purpose and hard work; wood shavings danced in the air like the Haida dancers would just after lunch today. It was another wonderful day of sharing, dancing, singing, and laughing.