We sailed into Mud Bay in the morning under broken clouds that revealed lovely blue skies. Waters were calm and reflective, and in the near distance we saw sea otters and humpback whales. Our plans for the morning included kayaking and exploring along the shoreline, the beach, and deeper into the forest. At the edge of the high tide line and the beach grasses, we discovered chocolate lilies about to bloom, beach strawberry plants with their delicate blossoms, and the fresh green of cow parsnip, silver fern, oak fern and more. We also found fresh evidence of a bear and followed a natural bear trail just inside the forest edge, where we studied fungi and giant lupine. Others chose to go on a moderate hike deeper into the forest, where they found a meadow and a stream. After lunch, we sailed towards the Inian Islands, anchoring in the Hobbit Hole, and took the expedition landing crafts out to cruise through the islands. The sun shined through breaks in the clouds, lighting up the edge of the islands. Here at the western edge of Icy Strait, the flood tide from the open sea meets the outflow of the Inside Passage and Icy Strait, creating an upwelling that pushes food closer to the surface, making it easier for the animals to feed. It’s a favorite place for sea otters, sea lions, humpbacks, eagles, and other birds. We saw Steller sea lions catching fish, thrashing them back and forth to break off bite-sized pieces, as hungry gulls hung close by for scraps. We observed a pelagic cormorant rookery, sea otters preening as they flowed along with the currents, many bald eagles in treetops and their nests. One group got a closer look at a humpback whale as it arched its back and dove, showing its fluke. All in all, it was a fantastic day of great activity.
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.