Today has been another amazing day of exploration among the islands of Southeast Alaska. We started in Idaho Inlet watching sea otters feeding on crabs, and the ocean was so calm that we could actually hear the crunching of crab legs. After breakfast, we moved to the Inian Islands, which are a group of islands constricting the flow of water moving into Icy Strait. As the tide rises, immense amounts of water flow through the passage, bringing innumerable salmon swimming in on the fast currents.
We set out in our expedition crafts and got good looks at Stellar sea lions feasting on the incoming salmon. After grabbing a fish, they returned to the surface and violently shook it into smaller mouth-size pieces. In addition to the sea lions, we also saw more sea otters relaxing in the kelp. We got nice photos of one particularly cute mother and pup resting on the surface. They seemed curious about us – but we stayed far enough back not to bother them.
After what had already been an exceptional tour, we were treated with a surprise show from our favorite dolphin species. “Forget the sea lions – follow those orcas!” We spent several minutes watching the orcas, meanwhile explaining that it is unbelievably lucky to see them twice in 24 hrs.
After lunch, we made a quick visit to the small Elfin Cove, to see the place 10 residents call home year-round. It was especially interesting to see a local fisherman fileting an 80 lb. halibut.
We quickly relocated to nearby George Island for hikes and kayaking, and a good time was had by all. Gotta go – there’s a humpback whale breaching outside!
