All of us aboard National Geographic Sea Lion could not have asked for a more magical and action-packed day. The morning’s sunrise was absolutely brilliant and well-timed as we entered the narrow fjord of Red Bluff Bay. The rock chemistry of Red Bluff is inhospitable to plants, allowing for only sparse vegetation, which made the illuminated red peridotitic rock contrast heavily with the surrounding lush forest. Most of us were awake with anticipation for the stunning scenery, but a few passengers were quite surprised to awake with the bow of the ship being misted by a large waterfall thanks to the skillful and charming Captain Nettles.
Immediately after our exit from Red Bluff Bay, we were approached by a small vessel carrying the legendary Dr. Andy Szabo of the Alaska Whale Foundation along with two of his fellow researchers. As we headed north within Chatham straight, Dr. Szabo shared an abundance of humpback knowledge as well as some interesting insight as to the research they are involved with.
The remainder of the day was a superlative taste of adventure spent in the turquoise waters of Takatz Bay. Not only was the sky clear, but, the sun was out in full force which was much appreciated by the multitudes of kayakers and hikers. We arrived during high tide and by the end of the afternoon the far end of the bay revealed an abundant salmon stream as well as an exposed mud flat, which was covered in gulls feeding on the recently deceased salmon. The kayakers as well as expedition landing craft cruisers had numerous sightings of harbor seals devouring the incoming salmon. The hikers, or better yet, “bushwackers” followed a fresh bear trail into the depths of the forest where one of the seasoned naturalists claimed to have seen the largest western hemlock of his life.
While everyone was occupied with the numerous activities, undersea specialist Shaylyn, along with her dive partner Sarah, were ecstatic to have encountered many bright orange sea pens which are quite rare and very interesting because they are a colonial organism made up of thousands of small animals working together to make one functioning unit. Given the phenomenal weather, the lovely hotel manager decided to put together a surprise cocktail hour on the aft bridge deck. Libations and snacks were shared along with stories and highlights from the day of fun. One large brown bear was spotted near the salmon stream and just as we were headed to dinner, three humpbacks decided to pay us a quick visit.
