Waking up in the waters surrounding the Inian Islands, we were excited for a spectacular day of exploration. After breakfast we hopped in the Zodiacs and cruised around North Inian Island looking for wildlife. Life was abundant, with several sea otters floating in the bull kelp, Steller sea lion rookeries, a pod of orcas, and numerous eagles hunting in the upwelling zones for any fish that fell victim to the immense strength of the moving water.
After lunch, our next stop was George Island to hike and kayak. Kayakers paddled around the calm waters of Garnet Beach and saw various invertebrates, including numerous sea stars clinging to the rocks just below the surface. Meanwhile, the hikers adventured through the trails admiring the robust plant life, all of which is part of the Tongass National Forest. Following our exploration, a campfire was built on the beach where we shared stories from our hike and learned how to play a horn made from bull kelp.
Before calling it a night, we were revisited by a group of orcas that cruised alongside our vessel for several miles, leaving us all excited for what tomorrow has in store.
