Guests awoke to a sparkling, calm morning in Endicott Arm. The water was like glass, reflecting the thousand-foot-plus walls of the fjord. Using small boats, we cruised the last four miles to the glacier. Sitting a half-mile away, we gazed at the blue ice, perking up at the cannon-shot sounds of calving and the fifty-foot splashes made by the falling ice. Harbor seals were scattered on the ice, now in their sensitive molting stage. This year’s seal pups are almost full grown and difficult to distinguish from their mothers at a distance. After lunch we cruised, scanning the shores for wildlife, enjoying the beauty of the thick green forest.
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.