Aboard National Geographic Sea Lion, guests were still buzzing after an incredible wildlife day in the Inian Islands yesterday. Under the expert guidance of our expedition leader and captain, we went to Pavlof Bay in hopes of the chance to view coastal brown bears at Pavlof Falls. A population of pinky (or humpy) salmon runs up this river and jumps the falls using an installed fish ladder. The local brown bears have been known to frequent the falls to catch salmon midair as they try to jump up the falls to spawn in the river and lake above. We did not have any sightings, as it was a very low tide and still early in the season for bears to be enticed to the falls. We headed back to the ship and cruised for more wildlife sightings. Guests were treated to a short bear encounter from the bow as a brown bear meandered along the forest’s edge. Perhaps deciding it was too hot to continue, the bear ducked into the shaded forest area. Guests admired quintessential Southeast Alaska: views of channels of water flanked by beautiful shorelines and towering mountains. We even spotted multiple humpback whales.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 14 Jul 2023
Pavlof Bay and Chatham Strait, Southeast Alaska, 7/14/2023, National Geographic Sea Lion
- Aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion
- Alaska
Kelly Morgan, Undersea Specialist
Kelly spent her childhood and adolescence in Maryland, exploring the wonders of the natural world wherever she could. This innate curiosity about the environment around her led Kelly to question why people and animals were driven to live their lives ...
Read MoreAlex Rubenstein, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Alex grew up surrounded by the endless outdoors of Portland, OR, his summers filled with nature day camp, hiking, basketball, mountain biking, and more basketball. After working as a nature day camp teacher with Portland Parks & Recreation through hi...
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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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National Geographic Sea Lion
Haines, Alaska
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.