Overnight, we traveled north on the Lynn Canal and arrived in Haines, Alaska’s adventure capital. For guests on National Geographic Sea Bird, it was a choose your own adventure day. In the morning, guests could hike to Mt Riley, raft down the Chilkat River, or go flyfishing. In the afternoon, options included flyfishing, a guided bike tour, or a hike to Battery Point. In this small town of a little over 2,000 people, guests explored some amazing wildlife and landscapes. After the day’s outdoor activities, we gathered on National Geographic Sea Bird to exchange stories and learn even more from our naturalists.
9/10/2024
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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.
