Early this morning Captain Cook eased National Geographic Sea Bird into Kelp Bay for a morning cruise. Soft light bathed the surrounding mountains and Southeast Alaska was on display in all its glory. Humpback whales were spotted plying the waters along the shore.
Just before entering the bay, the ship made a brief stop to lower two expedition landing craft so that Colin, the undersea specialist, Michelle, the head chef, and Grace, the bartender, could head to nearby Pond Island for a dive. They had a wonderful dive and Colin showed the footage after dinner.
Once the divers were back on board and the ship headed out of the bay, the call went out, “Whales off the bow!” The same whales we had seen earlier were now making their way out of the bay not far from the ship. We pulled closer to have a look, and out of the blue, all of the whales came crashing to the surface as they used a “bubblenet” to herd herring to the surface. It was a fantastic display and one that is only seen here in Southeast Alaska. Working together, the whales release a circle of bubbles that rise to the surface creating a ‘curtain’ of bubbles around their prey. The whales use the white of their fins and sounds to keep the fish inside the circle and then they race to the surface through the center. With their mouths open and full of fish, they break the surface in dramatic fashion. It was a morning to remember for years to come.
The whales were so impressive that our staff introductions and bear briefings were postponed until just before lunch. It was that kind of day.
After a hearty lunch, Eric gave a wonderful talk on photography followed by breakout session where we were able to ask more specific questions.
Pavlov Harbor, the site of our afternoon landing, is an intimate bay with a salmon-filled stream that can attract brown bears. We were in luck! Salmon were leaping, kingfishers decorated the trees, and brown bears were spotted on the shore. A young bear found several fish and quickly devoured them while keeping a cautious eye out for other bears. Kayakers and expedition landing craft cruisers explored the shore in search of other wildlife.
What a fantastic day and a wonderful way to begin a voyage through Southeast Alaska! What will we find tomorrow?
