The day was off to a great start with crisp fresh air and the beautiful scenery of Skidegate. Overnight, National Geographic Sea Bird crossed the Hecate Strait, positioning the ship to the very special archipelago of Haida Gwaii. During Tessa’s morning class, we set our intentions for the day. We embraced the lesson that no matter what happens in life, we have the choice to determine our actions and reactions. Challenges change us, and whether it is for the better or worse is our choice. We felt confident that the day was going to be wonderful. With a sense of joy in our heart and gratitude as our attitude, we were ready for the day’s adventures.
4/30/2024
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Morris Reef, Lake Eva, and Cruising
Truth be told, the last day aboard any National Geographic/Lindblad ship feels incredible and is always special, but personally, I don’t think I have ever had a more magical last day aboard National Geographic Sea Lion . The early morning started off spectacularly, as a dozen killer whales were spotted cruising near our ship. A handful of juveniles would surface with their rostrums rising above the surface of the water. Seeing this many killer whales once would have been amazing on its own, but we managed to also see killer whales on the first day of the trip, creating a perfect bookend finish. After recap, our captain started sailing us to our anchorage for the night when at least a dozen blows were seen at a distance. Most assumed it was humpback whales, but as we neared, we realized we still hadn’t seen a dorsal fin, and the spouts seemed a little stouter than usual for humpbacks. It wasn’t until a whale surfaced close enough to the ship that we realized the white splotches and knuckles were that of a gray whale! We did not expect to see them in this cove, and it just added to the awe and wonder of our amazing expedition.