Today, guests aboard National Geographic Sea Lion enjoyed a more relaxing day. We traveled from Sitka toward Lake Eva. On our way, we spotted some humpback whales and Steller sea lions. Guests had the option to embark on one of three different hikes, each catering to various fitness levels and allowing everyone to explore the natural beauty of Lake Eva. They also had the opportunity to kayak. The tide was high enough that some of our guests were able to paddle a bit further than usual into the island. After their excursions, guests attended an engaging presentation about plankton and jellies.
9/10/2024
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Pavlof Harbor
The day started with an exciting encounter. Before breakfast we observed a group of bubble-netting humpback whales. It was incredible to see them lunge and hear them breathing at the surface. This was coupled by a glorious pink sunrise. After breakfast we took Zodiac cruises searching for bears near Pavlof Harbor. Even though we did not find any (wildlife is always delightfully unexpected), the scenery was beautiful, and we watched many adorable harbor seals. After thinking the excitement of the day was done, we spotted a large group of whales from a distance. While approaching closer, we realized this group was also bubble-net feeding. Close to the shore, we observed these whales for hours. We even dropped the hydrophone to hear their haunting feeding call before they all lunged at the surface. It was one of the most incredible things any of us had ever witnessed. As if this wasn’t enough, at our sunset recap we got the call that there were killer whales around the ship. It was the most amazing ending to the most amazing day.