As if pulled by tides, our voyage brought us to the edges of the open sea today. We were welcomed out on deck before breakfast to see groups of humpback whales surfacing near the ship. They were here feeding in the rich marine waters of Icy Strait where the Inside Passage meets the sea at Cross Sound. After watching numerous whales rising, blowing, and fluking, we headed in for breakfast as our ship moved to anchor at the nearby Inian Islands. Throughout the morning the incoming cold ocean waters were accompanied by mist and clouds nestled low upon the forested islands.
After breakfast we disembarked in our fleet of inflatable boats to explore the abundant waters swirling around the Inians. This small group of islands sits between Icy Strait and the open Pacific Ocean. Strong tidal currents create a profusion of upwelling here, feeding a broad array of marine creatures. There were large numbers of Steller sea lions hauled out on a rocky islet and surfacing regularly beside our boats. Many of them were catching salmon, which they brought to the surface to eat. Swarms of black-legged kittiwakes, pelagic cormorants and glaucous-winged gulls were busy nesting on this same islet. In the calmer waters near shore, groups of pigeon guillemots paddled and dove, sporting their lipstick-red feet. In the dense kelp beds rimming the shores of the islands we found some of the resident sea otters bobbing among the kelp. These furry creatures were nearly wiped out by early Russian and American traders, but remnant populations were eventually protected, and later reintroduced into this area of Southeast Alaska where healthy populations now exist.
In the afternoon we moved the ship barely a mile or two along the northern shores of Chichagof Island. We left the clouds of the outer coast, and entered a brilliantly sunny day. Snow-capped mountains decorated the view in many directions over the now blue waters of Idaho Inlet where we spent the afternoon. There were opportunities for both hiking and kayaking. Onshore, wildflowers were blossoming in the shoreline meadows, and bear tracks and bear-clawed trees were seen in the nearby forest. As the sun moved westward, we rejoined the ship.
By early evening we were sailing back out into the cold waters of Icy Strait, again searching for marine life. With good fortune, we found several humpback whales surfacing and diving with the golden sun lighting the snowy peaks of the Chilkat Range as a glorious backdrop. A stunning finale to another wonderful day.
