After navigating the Icy Strait overnight, we arrived at Cross Sound which placed us in the perfect spot to explore the Inian Islands. South of Glacier Bay National Park, the Inian Islands are an amazing place to view wildlife. The Pacific’s nutrient-rich waters enter the Inside Passage, which creates an upwelling of fish from the seafloor that sea lions, harbor seals, gulls, bald eagles, and others feast on during the day. In the afternoon, our Captain repositioned National Geographic Sea Lion near George Island, providing our guests the opportunity to explore the island by hiking, kayaking, or paddleboarding. In the evening, we had an amazing surprise when killer whales appeared near the bow of National Geographic Sea Lion. As our naturalists provided information about the killer whales our guests enjoyed them as they displayed hunting behavior, breaching, and fluke-slapping.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 21 Jul 2024
Inian Islands, 7/21/2024, National Geographic Sea Lion
- Aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion
- Alaska
Leonardo Carrizo, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Born in Argentina and raised in Ohio, Leonardo developed a passion for travel and exploration at an early age. While studying for his M.A at The Ohio State University in Spanish Literature and Culture, Leonardo traveled to Spain and Mexico to visuall...
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Alaska Escape: Haines, the Inian Islands and Tracy Arm Fjord
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5/25/2025
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Immediately upon National Geographic Sea Lion’s arrival in Haines, the low clouds began to lift, and a bald eagle landed on the pilings next to the ship…a welcome sign of things to come. Our morning activities included hiking to the summit of Mount Riley, walking along the beach at Battery Point, cycling along the coastal roads, and fly fishing for Dolly Varden. The afternoon offered many of the same activities and time to explore town, where many guests decided to visit the recently opened cafe at the top of the dock for local Alaskan flavors. Speaking of Alaskan flavors…we now await the evening’s crab feast with great anticipation!
5/24/2025
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Inian Islands and Fox Creek
We had an amazing day today exploring the Inian Islands and Fox Creek. In the morning, guests left National Geographic Sea Lion to explore the Inian Islands on Zodiacs. This location is known for its currents and the upwelling that happens here. Nutrients rise to the surface, producing a great opportunity to witness the feeding behavior of bald eagles, Steller sea lions, sea otters, gulls, and other marine mammals. After a delicious lunch, guests chose from two exploratory opportunities at Fox Creek. One of the options was a moderate hike with our naturalists interpreting along the way. The second option was an intertidal walk with naturalists, enjoying a bit of tidepool exploration. We concluded this amazing day back onboard listening to the recap, having a wonderful dinner, and planning for another great day tomorrow with our visit to Haines.