Three Andean condors perched near the shore, intent on a dead sea lion pup. These immense vultures are endangered throughout their range in South America, and it was a thrill and a privilege to watch them. Later they soared and banked overhead, flashing bright wing patches on their flapless flight. A kelp goose family skirted the water's edge, the white male conspicuous against his dark mate and nearly-grown goslings.
Dense southern beeches, strewn with mosses and lichens, engulfed hardy hikers on a slippery quest for a waterfall up a luxuriant creek drainage. What a contrast to the more austere hues of Antarctica! Zodiac cruisers and kayakers drifted through brash ice towards a southern sea lion haul-out tucked into a small grotto and rocky shore. Thick-necked bulls jousted half-heartedly. Tiny black pups nuzzled their mothers or clumsily maneuvered over rocks twisted by the heat and pressure of metamorphism. Growls, bleats, and pinniped coughs emanated from the clustered bodies.
The Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) was deployed to 500 feet but never reached the bottom. Fish and ctenophores, or comb jellies, dominated the undersea world.
Garibaldi Fjord had provided more than just sightseeing. We had glimpsed some of its more subtle secrets, cradled within the towering glacially carved walls.
