Alaska 2011 - Inside Passage Photo Expedition on the National Geographic Sea Lion

Sitka to Seattle

September 3 – 14, 2011

September 3 – Anchorage to Sitka

NG Sea Lion, taken at a different location

After a morning flight from Anchorage to Sitka we were taken to a hotel near the dock where those waiting to board the National Geographic Sea Bird would stay overnight, and where we could hang out. We ate lunch close by and then boarded a bus for a tour around Sitka. 

Before starting this Photo Expedition with Lindblad Expeditions, we were taken to the Alaska Raptor Center to see a variety of birds that needed medical attention and rehabilitation.

Then we went to the Sitka National Historical Park where there was a nice museum and many totem poles from the Tlingit tribe.

Back in town we learned some history about Russia’s activity in the area during the nineteenth century. We visited Saint Michael’s Cathedral before having some free time to wander around the small town. It rained the whole time.

In the late afternoon we boarded the National Geographic Sea Lion, the 50-passenger boat that would be our home for the next twelve days through the Inside Passage to Seattle. It was so good to be back with our favorite photographers, Jack and Rikki Swenson and National Geographic photographer Flip Nicklin. We knew it was going to be a fun trip.

September 4 - Chatham Strait and Pavlof Harbor

During the night we had sailed through Peril Strait and into Chatham Strait, which is the longest and deepest fjord in North America. It wasn't long before we spotted three brown bears along the shore which started the day and expedition in the right direction. Humpback whales accompanied us along the cruise north.

In the afternoon we pulled into Pavlof Harbor where there were choices of various length walks or zodiac rides. We chose the ride and got close to a water fall where later some of the hikers saw a bear pulling salmon out to eat. Sorry we missed that.

September 5 – Icy Strait, George Island and Inian Islands

Rikki Swenson, right, gives photo support

This morning we were in Icy Strait. We headed north to Cross Sound, which goes out (west) to the Gulf of Alaska across the north side of Chichagof Island and south of Glacier Bay National Park.

Grace photographs Jack Swenson

The first outing was to George Island where some had a chance to go kayaking and others of us found help with photo questions, hiked around the dense forest area and spent some time photographing the small things like brilliantly colored mushrooms.

During lunch we sailed further west in Cross Sound and in the afternoon took turns (odd then even cabins) for zodiac cruises around Inian Islands. We saw many birds and sea otters but no bear.

On our zodiac ride Pete Pederson (one of the staff) took us all the way around a small island at the mouth of the sound and we fully felt the rough seas and pelting rain as we hunkered down. It was one of those experiences that are fun to talk about later.

In the afternoon naturalist Pete gave a lecture on “Glaciers” in preparation for our visit to Glacier Bay the next day.

September 6 – Glacier Bay National Park

Margerie Glacier

During the night we had sailed the 65 miles through Glacier Bay to the north end of Tarr Inlet. When we woke we were alongside the Margerie Glacier.

Grand Pacific Glacier covered with soil

The night before we had picked up a National Park Ranger and a Tlingit Cultural Interpreter. They participated in the explanations of the area. We were fortunate that it was not raining and we saw one calving glacier face while there. At the north end of the bay is also the Grand Pacific Glacier, which, 200 years ago completely filled the 65-mile long valley. Now the glacier continues to recede.

We spent all day in Glacier Bay sailing back south with a side trip into John Hopkins Inlet for a view of the glacier with the same name. In Geikie Inlet we took zodiac rides to see the sea lions on rocks along the shore and also many birds.

The clouds cleared eventually and gave us a beautiful rainbow. 

We enjoyed a pod of orca whales on our way to a late stop at Bartlett Cove in Gustavus where we dropped off the Ranger and Cultural Guide. Those who wanted took a walk ashore since we were actually at a dock.

September 7 – Juneau

This morning we pulled into a small dock in Juneau, dwarfed by the three huge cruise ships already alongside the city wharf. It turned out to be a beautiful sunny day and our first stop was out to the Mendenhall Glacier. We watched salmon coming up the stream to spawn and had a very close encounter with an old resident black bear. 

Flip Nicklin gave me a copy of his picture with me at the far right end, looking the wrong way. I did get turned around in time for one good shot of the bear.

Juneau

Back in town we visited the Alaska State Museum and then wandered through the town, which is small so it didn’t take long. We were back aboard by 2:00.

As we sailed south through Stephens Passage we encountered a large pod of orca (killer) whales and another of humpback whales, all in the same area. We spent quite a bit of time with them so Flip had to keep delaying delivering his talk “Among Giants.”

September 8 – LeConte Bay and Petersburg

Icebergs were the order of the morning as we anchored in LeConte Bay. The LeConte Glacier is the southernmost sea level glacier in North America and it calves off large blue icebergs. We took turns (odd – even cabins) taking zodiac rides in amongst the grounded icebergs, which was somewhat reminiscent of Antarctica except the hills here were covered with evergreen trees.

At noon we pulled up to the dock in Peterburg, a quaint small town founded by Norwegian fishermen over 100 years ago. Even though it was raining fairly hard (hence no photos) we walked around to get a feel for this major fishing community.

Back aboard, and after a late lunch, we continued south through Wrangell Narrows, a very scenic area, but it was still raining hard so we watched from inside and Grace edited her pictures.

September 9 – Misty Fjords National Monument

Jack Swenson, always looking for wildlife

During the night we had sailed south in the Clarence Strait and turned into the Behm Canal to go around the north side of Ketchikan Island. By mourning we were heading south in the canal in the Misty Fjord National Monument.

It was a beautiful sunny day, not at all misty, and we enjoyed being out on deck watching the beautiful scenery go by. At some point in the morning Flip Nicklin gave his talk entitled “It’s OK to Shoot People.” He is always fun and an inspiration, and people photography is Paul’s specialty.

By afternoon we were sailing into the very narrow, steep-sided fjord called Rudjard Bay. The Sea Lion dropped anchor and gave us a chance for long zodiac rides to explore the area with its beautiful waterfalls.

The crew put the kayaks into the water and everyone who wanted was able to use them. It was a very calm and peaceful setting.

Since we were just over the hills from Ketchikan there were float planes coming and going for sight seeing and commuting. It was a delightful, beautiful, calm day.

September 10 – Prince Rupert

Overnight we had continued south, out of Alaskan waters and into British Columbia. We were on the east side of Chatham Sound and docked in Prince Rupert. Right after breakfast we disembarked, went through Canadian customs, and walked in to town to The Museum of Northern British Columbia where we divided into groups and took a tour.

 From the museum we walked a short way to see a native cultural dance. This was very interesting in that their dances and songs told stories of their lives and history. It was a small intimate setting.

Back aboard for lunch, then we spent the beautiful afternoon sailing south looking for illusive wild life. We sailed past Porcher Island and into the very narrow Greenville Channel with Pitt Island to our west. 

In the late afternoon the captain received a distress call from a shrimp boat, which was stranded in a close-by very narrow stream. They had managed to get their nets entangled in their propeller. Our Hotel Manager, Michael, put on his dry suit, collected his diving gear and was taken in one of our zodiacs up the stream to “save the day.” It turned out he could clear their problem fairly quickly, and they were very happy, sending back some shrimp for the crew.

After dinner Jack Swenson gave his presentation entitled “An Eye for Evocative Images.”

September 11 – Altanash Inlet and Cruising Princess Royal Island

Over night we continued south in Grenville Channel and by morning were heading into Altanash Inlet. This is an area that was new to the entire staff and crew and turned into one of the most ethereal places we visited. It was so beautiful with the misty fog hovering and shifting all morning.

Hikes and zodiac rides were available all morning and there was no shortage of interesting scenes to photograph.

At one point we went ashore to photograph the small plants. Getting close up pictures was difficult as little gnats that bit swarmed around our hands. Ugh!

In the afternoon our Cultural Specialist, David Stephens, gave his talk on “Native Northwest Coast Art and Technology.”

September 12 – Alert Bay, British Columbia

Overnight we had continued south in Fitzhugh Sound and entered Queen Charlotte Sound. After breakfast we docked at Alert Bay, which is a fishing community on Cormorant Island at the north end of Vancouver Island.

We could walk or take a shuttle bus up the hill to the Lawrence Amber Memorial Center where the staff of the U’Mista Museum made a cultural presentation. Afterward we walked back down the hill and visited the Alert Bay Big House, built in 1963 and rebuilt after a fire in 1999.

The adults and children of the Nimpkish First Nations performed their traditional dances for us in full costume and with elaborate masks. It was a very special, and photographically challenging event that ended with audience members invited to join in the dancing.

At the end they offered us smoked salmon and fry bread with jam as we exited the Big House. Gifting is a big part of the Potlatch ceremony.

After a little time to visit the museum gift shop and walk around town we were back aboard in time for lunch, which was served out on the back deck.

As we continued south for the afternoon, through Johnstone Strait we stayed out on deck looking for wildlife. We were not disappointed. First, to our delight, there were orca whales.

In the middle of the afternoon we were able to work in Rikki Swenson’s talk “Thinking Outside the Shoe Box” with ideas on what to do with all of your pictures – those taken past and present. At the end she had to wrap up quickly because we encountered a large pod of Pacific White-Sided Dolphins. There must have been 200 – 300 of them all going about their job of eating. We spent quite a while with the dolphins before leaving them and continuing south.

September 13 – San Juan Islands and Friday Harbor

During the night we left Johnstone Strait along Vancouver Island and spent the day in Georgia Strait and on into the San Juan Islands. Since it was our last day aboard we spent some of our time trying to get everything packed up.

During the day Flip Nicklin gave his final talk “How Story Happens.” It was very interesting to learn how National Geographic operates and how the writers and photographers don’t necessarily work together on a project. Flip has been with them for close to thirty years, specializing in whales.

By late afternoon we docked at Friday Harbor and after clearing U.S. Immigration we enjoyed walking through town. We were able to find one of the last copies of Flip’s new book Among Giants.

Paul, Grace, Rikki and Jack

We also arranged a way to have our picture taken with Jack and Rikki Swenson. This has been our eleventh trip with them since meeting in 2003 on a Svalbard Photo Expedition with Lindblad.

There was the usual Farewell Dinner in the evening followed by the “Laptop Gallery,” which is a tradition on Photo Expeditions. Those of us who brought a laptop with us, and had been editing pictures along the way, made a three-minute slideshow of our best or favorite pictures. The laptops were setup in the lounge and guests were encouraged to go from one to the other, watching the trip review through the eyes of the other photographers. There were over a dozen shows to watch. This is a favorite part and great ending to the trip.

September 14 – Seattle

Overnight we had finished sailing into Puget Sound and were tied up at the dock right in downtown Seattle. After breakfast and final farewells, we boarded the shuttle bus for SEATAC, the Seattle airport, for our short flight back home to Portland. This was another great voyage and experience.

 


That's it for now. Grace and Paul