The Inian Islands are part of the northern end of the inside passage that meets the might of the Gulf of Alaska. Luckily the power of the Pacific held back today and we were graced with calm conditions, punctuated by gentle rolling un-breaking waves.

These rocky islands still have the vibrant green foliage and flora found on the mainland, but are ringed with something we have not yet seen this voyage, bull kelp. This species of brown algae can grow over 40 feet in length, attaching to any hard bottom substrate via a specialized anchor called a holdfast. A long stem, or stipe as it is called, then rises all the way to the surface, connected to a gas filled bulb that floats. Long, blade-like fronds grow from the top of the bulb and as the current keeps them streaming out in the shallower water they are able to more efficiently photosynthesize. This iconic organism is an integral part of this ecosystem, providing habitat for numerous species of mammal and invertebrate alike.

The impressive currents in this region that allow the bull kelp to thrive also bring with it sustenance in a variety of forms, most notably fish. Northern sea lions catch salmon, rockfish, and halibut, anything that is funneled from the expanse of the ocean into these comparably narrow rocky channels. Thrashing their caught prey back and forth to rip it into more swallowable chunks attracts a multitude of gulls, eagerly looking for scraps. As we careened about the swirling eddies and whirlpools of water in our inflatable boats, these massive pinnipeds, some weighing well over a thousand pounds, made a show of barely showing interest despite continuous close passes. However impressive a show these blubbery behemoths put on the animals that stole the show for the day were the sea otters. Observing them gnawing away at basket stars and urchins, swimming with pups on their bellies or wrapped up in kelp sleeping, these marine weasels captivated our attention utterly. One’s mind and memory card are quickly filled up with how precocious they were behaving. As exciting as looking at lichens, tiptoeing around tidepools, and a killer kayak can be, sometimes you just can’t beat cute baby animals to really make your day…