Dynamic. If there is one word that describes the Inian Islands, it is “dynamic.” With every tide change, it seems the entire Pacific Ocean flows through the narrow channels of the Inian Islands. The ebb and flow of the currents carries everything from plankton to humpback whales, and it is here where our morning Zodiac tours bounced amongst waves and wildlife. Between the eagles, sea otters, Steller sea lions, whales, kittiwakes, and alcids of all shapes and sizes, our appreciation of the “charismatic megafauna” of Southeast Alaska knew no bounds.
In the afternoon, we traded our Zodiac tours for foot- and paddle-powered adventures in Port Althorp. Adventurous bushwhackers followed bear and deer trails deep into the Tongass National Forest, while more moderate and casual hikers explored prints made by shorebirds and bears in the intertidal mudflats. Kayakers plied the placid waters while salmon swam underneath on their last mission to spawn.
There is something for everyone in Southeast Alaska. Choose your method of exploration, and let the magic unfold in front of you!
