The early morning found National Geographic Sea Bird edging into a quiet bay called Port Althorp. Moving slowly after a restless nights sleep, people filed into breakfast talking about the rough seas we encountered during the night. We had outrun a storm and suffered only about an hour of rough seas as the ship’s officers brought us safely through the tricky seas.
Eagles lined the shore of this peaceful bay while fog drifted through in the surrounding trees. Lion’s mane jellyfish filled the waters as we headed to shore for our morning adventures. Many went on hikes across the bay to a shallow salmon filled stream on the far side. Frothing the water with their frantic drive to push up river, these salmon filled the stream while their dead compatriots lined the shore. This was a classic salmon stream and it was a sight to behold. The kayakers found eagles overhead, harbor seals bobbing in the water, and, of course, salmon schooling below.
We found a few short bits of rough water again as we relocated to the Hobbit Hole for our afternoon’s exploration of the Inian Islands. Marking the northern entrance to the Inside Passage, these islands are wild. Fierce currents race through the channels, eagles soar overhead, otters frolic in the kelp, and Steller sea lions ply the waters in search of food. Cormorants and kittiwakes crowded a large rock and the sea lions could be heard (and smelled) long before we found them lounging on the rocks. A large eagle’s nest was perched in a spruce near the shore, and an immature eagle waited patiently for its parents to return with a meal.
After a great dinner, Colin, our undersea specialist, gave a fascinating talk on the mating life of brown bears. What a fantastic day and we are eager to explore Glacier Bay National Park tomorrow.
