Elfin Cove & George Island
“Good morning, good morning aboard the Sea Lion. It’s 54 degrees outside, with clear blue skies above, and flat calm seas ahead.” We awoke to sunshine again today, with humpback whales, furry sea otters and countless marbled murrelets around us. After cruising Idaho Inlet and the Inian Islands, we arrived at our day’s anchorage, George Island. After a visit by local resident Mary Jo Lord, we went ashore at the quaint fishing community of Elfin Cove. This small village with only boardwalks and roughly 50 year round residents, has several sportfishing lodges and a summer population of a few hundred.
After a delightful barbecue on the deck with salsa music in the background, we went ashore for some hiking and kayaking. Hikers ambled on the beach and followed a deer trail through the forest to arrive at a WWII gun emplacement. The sunny weather also made relaxing on the beach an inviting alternative. The kayakers saw colorful sea stars on the rocks and rich kelp forest below them, as well as an incredible view of Mt. Fairweather and the Brady Glacier.
Arriving at Pt. Adolphus after dinner we were treated to an unbelievable evening experience. In the golden pink light of an Alaskan summer evening, we watched numerous humpback whales for over an hour. Included in this cetacean display was a frisky calf that breached repeatedly, at one point just off our port bow! By 10pm it was time to go, so we slowly drifted off to sleep, with visions of humpbacks dancing in our heads.
“Good morning, good morning aboard the Sea Lion. It’s 54 degrees outside, with clear blue skies above, and flat calm seas ahead.” We awoke to sunshine again today, with humpback whales, furry sea otters and countless marbled murrelets around us. After cruising Idaho Inlet and the Inian Islands, we arrived at our day’s anchorage, George Island. After a visit by local resident Mary Jo Lord, we went ashore at the quaint fishing community of Elfin Cove. This small village with only boardwalks and roughly 50 year round residents, has several sportfishing lodges and a summer population of a few hundred.
After a delightful barbecue on the deck with salsa music in the background, we went ashore for some hiking and kayaking. Hikers ambled on the beach and followed a deer trail through the forest to arrive at a WWII gun emplacement. The sunny weather also made relaxing on the beach an inviting alternative. The kayakers saw colorful sea stars on the rocks and rich kelp forest below them, as well as an incredible view of Mt. Fairweather and the Brady Glacier.
Arriving at Pt. Adolphus after dinner we were treated to an unbelievable evening experience. In the golden pink light of an Alaskan summer evening, we watched numerous humpback whales for over an hour. Included in this cetacean display was a frisky calf that breached repeatedly, at one point just off our port bow! By 10pm it was time to go, so we slowly drifted off to sleep, with visions of humpbacks dancing in our heads.
