Today was truly an Alaskan experience with plenty of rain and spectacular wilderness all around us. Many explored Williams Cove via kayaks and paddleboards, navigating the frigid glacial waters in search of ice and wildlife on the shore. Hikers trekked through a section of the Tongass National Forest, which is the most intact temperate rainforest in the world! We splashed through puddles, stared up at massive trees, and foraged the last remaining blue berries of the season. Following lunch, the National Geographic Sea Bird began weaving its way through the magnificent fjord of Tracy Arm. Near the terminus, we all boarded the expedition landing crafts for an up close and unforgettable view of Sawyer Glacier.
9/10/2024
Read
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.