On the first day of this expedition, we were treated to a wakeup call in the forest of Walker Cove. This idyllic place calmed our anticipation for the day at first sight. We were treated to the namesake of the Misty Fjords National Monument all morning long. As the mist hung motionless in the tops of the trees on the towering mountains above us, we kept ourselves at sea level with exploratory Zodiac rides in the still waters of Walker Cove. The day continued with a copious amount of time spent searching shorelines and horizons for charismatic megafauna. Making our way north is the path we will take through the night on our way to explore the town of Wrangell tomorrow.
5/8/2024
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Southeast, Alaska
This morning, we cruised through the infamous Fredrick Sound in search of wildlife. Guests joined our naturalists on the bow, and along with our amazing bridge team, we spotted roughly nine humpback whales, including one mother and calf pair! Once we got to our anchorage, a hike in the Tongass National Forest was planned. Guests were shuttled ashore and off into the forest they went. Cascade Creek is infamous for the bursting waterfall about 20 minutes up trail. Each hiker took time being quiet to listen to the forest and her songs, but not for too long because we are in bear country and we wanted to make sure our presence was known. Faces drenched with waterfall mist, our hikers returned to their home away from home, National Geographic Sea Lion . We closed the day by entering into Wrangell Narrows in the direction of Wrangell, our next stop. During dinner our guests were greeted by a small pod of killer whales off our starboard side, and from the dining room windows, a room full of guests watched as they surfaced a few times and then disappeared. What an absolutely magical day!