After sailing from Haida Gwaii, we reentered U.S. waters and arrived at the northern boundary of Dixon Entrance. The mist and clouds from the day before were gone and we were treated to sunshine on the water as we began our journey in Southeast Alaska. We soon spotted a solitary humpback whale feeding near the shore of a small cove. The whale surface fed for a while, then began slapping its tail on the surface. Some speculate that this is a learned behavior that possibly stuns the whale’s fish prey. After having our fill of the whale, we continued east into Behm Canal, through Owl Pass and the cliff face that gives the pass its name, and into the heart of Misty Fjords National Monument. We set anchor at the head of the canal and spent the afternoon kayaking the quiet bay and shoreline. While guests relaxed on deck with drinks and hors d’oeuvres before dinner, a few staff headed out by expedition landing craft to deploy the remote-operated vehicle into the sea below the Owl Pass rock face.
5/15/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Inian Islands, AK
The drizzling rain of the early morning cleared off for the start of our Zodiac tours through the dazzling Inian Islands. The Islands are incredibly special due to their geographic location. As the northernmost opening to the Inside Passage, tons of billions of gallons of water funnel in from the Pacific Ocean and cause an oceanic phenomenon called upwelling, where cold, nutrient dense water rises to the surface. Marine animals flock to these waters for the availability of food and resources. We were able to view sea otters, sea lions, and many bird species. The Zodiac tours had some of the most amazing views of the coastal waters, spruce covered islands, and wildlife. We ended the morning with a visit to the Tidelines Institute, a non-profit educational institute founded by Lindblad Naturalist and PhD in climate science, Zach Brown. The afternoon was filled with presentations, briefings, and our guest slideshow to end the evening during our transit up to Sitka. It was a fantastic ending to a great trip.