By Sharon Grainger

Sharon Grainger is a naturalist who leads many departures of our Alaska’s Inside Passage expedition. Below, she recounts an incredible whale sighting on a voyage this past summer.

An hour and a half after sunrise, the National Geographic Sea Lion was cruising slowly north on Chatham Strait, searching for marine mammals. This body of water is the longest and deepest fjord in North America, extending over 150 miles and reaching depths of over 2,000 feet in several places. These rich waters attract myriad different animals in the long days of summer.

Our plans for this morning were to search for marine mammals, enjoy the fantastic weather, and see what southeast Alaska offered up from her treasure chest of natural beauty. As if on cue, humpback whales appeared in the distance. Soon the ship’s bow was filled, our guests poised with their binoculars facing north.

Slightly ahead of our ship, a group of whales exploded out of the water in unison, their mouths agape while a flock of gulls circled overhead. It was our first day at sea, and we were already viewing an event that can be seen in very few places in the world! The group of humpbacks was using a cooperative “bubble net” to engulf large schools of fish. For the remainder of the morning, the ship maneuvered expertly in and around this group of whales as they continued feeding.

The whales dove in a synchronized fashion, each whale with its own part and position, blowing the bubble net, circling underneath, and rising towards the surface. As they began to surface, a series of battle cries could be heard on the hydrophone. Then thirty seconds later, they hit the surface of the water, mouths open, hoping for yet another mouthful of fish.

Read more about our Alaska’s Inside Passage expedition.

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