The day dawned to perfection: clear, calm, and warm. Several activities were available for our morning in Wrangell. One was a jet boat excursion up the famed Stikine River, an important trading route first for the Tlingit and later for Russian, British, and American fur traders. Along the way, wildlife and ice from a glacier were viewed before we turned back. Other options included a cultural explanation and dance performance of the Tlingit, the northernmost Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America, at Chief Shakes restored home; a hike to view the 40-50 ~8000-year-old petroglyphs at the Petroglyph Beach State Historic Park; nature hikes to the ~459 ft Mt Dewey or along the Nature Trail; or a stroll through the historic town.
We left Wrangell just after noon for a long cruise to look for wildlife. We saw two Sitka deer swimming neck-and-neck at an impressive speed, mid-canal! We then saw five mountain goats on the mountain, seals on offshore rocks, and several Dahl’s porpoises swimming effortlessly around and in front of the ship. The afternoon concluded with a rousing game of trivia featuring questions about Southeast Alaska, National Geographic Sea Bird, and our crew and staff.
