Today we awoke to a misty Southeast Alaska day. People were out on the decks of National Geographic Sea Lion to take in the fresh air of the temperate rainforest and the watch the approach and docking in the small Norwegian fishing town of Petersburg. It is a quaint historic town “that fish built”, referencing the booming fishing industry that developed by the canneries near the LeConte Glacier. Allowing the canneries town folk to preserve the fish on ice. Now a small, yet very successful port, Petersburg is home to many different fishing vessels.
Our groups enjoyed hikes around the harbor, muskeg, and town. Some biked around the area and shopped at the local bookshop, general store, and clothing outfitter on the main street. We all enjoyed taking in the culture of an authentic Southeast Alaska town.
After the outing, we returned to the ship for cruising in hopes of finding whales and marine wildlife. During our search, we learned much more about whales from our whale specialist, Larry Hobbs. Our dinner for the evening was a fantastic crab feast that the extraordinary hotel department presented. It was a full day where we learned about the bounty of the sea and experienced the rich flavors first hand.
