Today is the first full day of our trip aboard National Geographic Seabird —we all woke up to a sunrise whose beauty rendered the whole ship quiet. We explored Tracy Arm and enjoyed a magnificent view of South Sawyer Glacier. Once our ship was positioned we lowered Zodiacs and set off to show our guests the treasures of this area; the face of the glacier, the landscape, and the various wildlife that we might (and did) find. We saw heaps of harbor seals, and a huge population of Artic terns being very vocal as they feasted on small fish. We spotted three mountain goats along the side of the fjord — and we didn’t even need binoculars. Afterwards we continued to search for wildlife and waterfalls. We closed the day with cocktails and laughter. What an absolutely fabulous 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.
