Our morning began among the incredible Inian Islands. Situated at the northern end of the Inner Passage, the Inians stand between the vast Gulf of Alaska and Cross Sound to the west, and the rich waters of Icy Strait to the east. Only a few hundred yards separate the islands from the mainland and Chichagof Island on either side, creating a series of narrow passages leading into Southeast Alaska’s inshore waters. When the tide ebbs and floods, the streaming water creates powerful whirlpools and eddies, which in turn stir nutrients and hapless critters to the surface.
Once National Geographic Sea Lion dropped her anchor in a small, protected cove, we set out in our inflatable boats to explore the islands. The Inians are home to a diverse guild of marine predators and all were on display as we followed the shoreline towards the outer, windswept coast. Sea lions sunned themselves on the jagged rocks, waiting for the tide to turn, as eagles kept watch from their perches high in the spruce trees that blanket the islands’ shores. When the tide finally turned and the gulf waters streamed in, large eddies began to roil the surface. Soon the sky was filled with diving gulls, kittiwakes and cormorants, while guillemots and murrelets chased tiny forage fish caught in the turbulent water. Sea lions, too, gathered and porpoised through the waves, indifferent to the fluid chaos. Occasionally, one would appear at the surface with a salmon in its mouth, and would proceed to thrash it about until it broke into pieces small enough to swallow. Even humpbacks came to feast, though they stayed close to shore feeding on the small fish that sought refuge from the tidal melee.
Watching from our inflatables, we were all swept up in the action; but eventually it was time to return to the ship and begin heading back into the protected waters of the Inside Passage. The rest of the afternoon and evening were spent leisurely cruising through Icy Strait and Chatham Strait, passing a few solitary humpbacks here and there. But a slack-tide date (2:00 a.m. sharp) with the Surgess Narrows – a narrow passage with tidal rips rivaling those of the Inian passes – kept us moving en route to Sitka. Just as well, as the evening was to be spent in the lounge, enjoying dinner with the captain and the guest slide show.
