George Island, Inian Pass and Humpback Whales off Point Adolphus
I don’t know how to start telling you about this incredible day, it will be one for that will stand out in the memory banks for a long time! It started with waking up to glassy calm seas with mists draping over the lush green forested peaks and close views of sea otters. After breakfast we all enjoyed the wonderous beauty of George Island whether by hiking in the forest, kayaking through the sea arch or Zodiac cruising along the shoreline and kelp beds soaking up the lovely sunshine and incredible vistas.
Just after lunch we visited the picturesque boardwalk town of Elfin Cove. We learned a bit more about local life from Mary Jo Lord Wild, a 32 year resident of this beautiful but isolated part of southeast Alaska. It was interesting to walk along the boardwalks and imagine what is would be like to live there with the 12 other year-round residents.
The rest of the afternoon was marine mammal mania! sea otters wrapped up in kelp beds and Steller sea lions cavorting in the tidal rips, oh my. After a bit of cruising through Icy Straits we discovered a mother load of humpback blows off Point Adolphus. Then the fun began as we saw ten to twelve humpbacks all surface at once. During the long and sometimes hot days of summer, the humpbacks are busy feeding and occasionally the calves are very busy playing. We discovered a humpback calf playground of sorts, as three calves were slashing their tails about, slapping their flippers, rolling around and amazingly, frolicking with a Steller sea lion. While mom’s away feeding the calves will play!
Then we lowered the hydrophone just to see if the whales were vocalizing and immediately we heard eerie calls reverberating through the microphone. These were social sounds probably used in aiding adult subsurface feeding. It was incredible to listen to the wonderful sounds while the calves were entertaining us with all their surface antics. You didn’t know where to look with so much surface activity and just then the breaching began! Oohs and ahhs and “1, 2, 3 Breach” was gleefully exclaimed on all deck levels as the calves continued their amazing surface behaviors.
After a couple of hours of all this fantastic fun, it was time for a short recap and then dinner. But the whale extravaganza was not quite finished yet because during dinner one of the humpback calves began full-body lunging towards the ship. Everyone including the those left in the dining room had an almost eyeball to eyeball experience with this 25 foot calf as it lunged and spy hopped towards the Sea Bird! Excitement was just filling the air as we watched the calf roll about and regularly breach (full body leaps with 360 degree rolls in midair) just off the ship! This was all while hundreds of seabirds were swirling and the sky was stunning pink with the sunset against the towering mountains. Only as darkness began to envelope us did we finally sail away from the breathtaking whale encounter and many headed back into the lounge to see a preview of this trip’s video. There was still one more excitement for the day for just as everyone was off to bed, there was a gentle announcement saying that there were Northern Lights shimmering overhead. It is hard to find enough adjectives to describe this day; amazing, astonishing and just awesome are some of the few that come to mind. Basically one that we will remember for a long time and one to make us say “I love Alaska!”
I don’t know how to start telling you about this incredible day, it will be one for that will stand out in the memory banks for a long time! It started with waking up to glassy calm seas with mists draping over the lush green forested peaks and close views of sea otters. After breakfast we all enjoyed the wonderous beauty of George Island whether by hiking in the forest, kayaking through the sea arch or Zodiac cruising along the shoreline and kelp beds soaking up the lovely sunshine and incredible vistas.
Just after lunch we visited the picturesque boardwalk town of Elfin Cove. We learned a bit more about local life from Mary Jo Lord Wild, a 32 year resident of this beautiful but isolated part of southeast Alaska. It was interesting to walk along the boardwalks and imagine what is would be like to live there with the 12 other year-round residents.
The rest of the afternoon was marine mammal mania! sea otters wrapped up in kelp beds and Steller sea lions cavorting in the tidal rips, oh my. After a bit of cruising through Icy Straits we discovered a mother load of humpback blows off Point Adolphus. Then the fun began as we saw ten to twelve humpbacks all surface at once. During the long and sometimes hot days of summer, the humpbacks are busy feeding and occasionally the calves are very busy playing. We discovered a humpback calf playground of sorts, as three calves were slashing their tails about, slapping their flippers, rolling around and amazingly, frolicking with a Steller sea lion. While mom’s away feeding the calves will play!
Then we lowered the hydrophone just to see if the whales were vocalizing and immediately we heard eerie calls reverberating through the microphone. These were social sounds probably used in aiding adult subsurface feeding. It was incredible to listen to the wonderful sounds while the calves were entertaining us with all their surface antics. You didn’t know where to look with so much surface activity and just then the breaching began! Oohs and ahhs and “1, 2, 3 Breach” was gleefully exclaimed on all deck levels as the calves continued their amazing surface behaviors.
After a couple of hours of all this fantastic fun, it was time for a short recap and then dinner. But the whale extravaganza was not quite finished yet because during dinner one of the humpback calves began full-body lunging towards the ship. Everyone including the those left in the dining room had an almost eyeball to eyeball experience with this 25 foot calf as it lunged and spy hopped towards the Sea Bird! Excitement was just filling the air as we watched the calf roll about and regularly breach (full body leaps with 360 degree rolls in midair) just off the ship! This was all while hundreds of seabirds were swirling and the sky was stunning pink with the sunset against the towering mountains. Only as darkness began to envelope us did we finally sail away from the breathtaking whale encounter and many headed back into the lounge to see a preview of this trip’s video. There was still one more excitement for the day for just as everyone was off to bed, there was a gentle announcement saying that there were Northern Lights shimmering overhead. It is hard to find enough adjectives to describe this day; amazing, astonishing and just awesome are some of the few that come to mind. Basically one that we will remember for a long time and one to make us say “I love Alaska!”
