An incredible first twenty four hours has begun this journey in Southeast Alaska! Last night, as we ate a delicious dinner of Alaskan halibut and bread pudding, the captain and crew navigated the National Geographic Sea Lion out of Sitka Harbor and headed for Saint Lazzaria Islands. There, guests were greeted by Alaskan seabirds such as puffins, common murres, and rhinoceros auklets, as well as fluking humpback whales as the sun came close to setting.
As if that wasn’t enough of a welcome, “whales before breakfast” were another treat! Guests and crew alike gathered on the bow (pajamas were welcome for this special treat) to watch and a mother and her calf close by, blowing bubbles and diving and enjoying the morning sunshine along Peril Straight. Shortly, not long after breakfast, we spotted two Sitka black-tailed deer on the shoreline. Further along, a brown bear and her two cubs were foraging for grasses at a stream inlet.
Later in the afternoon, we anchored in Saook Bay and guests headed ashore for hiking and kayaking. More brown bears were seen along the shoreline and hikers got their first lesson in Alaska botany: the staples of Sitka spruce and hemlock were present as well as treats of salmon berries, foam flower, and silverweed.
Although the bay was scattered with lion’s mane jellyfish, the scuba divers made a trip around the corner for a dive filled with yellow-legged prawn, sea cucumbers, hake, sculpin, and sea stars. The jellies were spotted underwater as well, but were not in such concentrations that they posed any threat of discomfort.
