The chance to see a moose wading in the marsh, a muskrat swimming by or poking his head from the water, or even the spawning of chinook, coho, or humpback salmon in Rabbit Creek: this is what you can see along the 1,550-foot wooden boardwalk that offers a panoramic view of Turnagain Arm.
ITWPA Member Marsha Wassel explores Adventure Green Alaska certified business, which promote specific standards of economic, environmental, social, and cultural sustainability.
The Spirit Bear, also known as the Kermode bear, is a relatively rare creature found only within the Great Bear Rain Forest. The animal is actually a black bear born with a creamy white coat, the result of a mutant gene. About one in 10 cubs is born with this unique characteristic. SBL does not guarantee a Spirit Bear sighting, a rare find, but the guides work diligently to find the animals. Being a bit bear crazy, news of this recent sighting encouraged our hope that we would be among the next assembly to witness the magical white bear.
“Slap it, baby, slap it!” The captain turns the ship around to optimize views and turns off the motor. Two whales create breach-and-dive theater for 28 minutes, with squeals from passengers almost as loud as the barking sea lions witnessed yesterday. There’s no need to take separate excursions. This entire nine-day cruise serves as a wildlife watching and glacier viewing expedition. No schedule prevents us from staying for as long as the whales continue their performance, and the size of our ship is conducive to discovering wildlife in places that larger ships can’t access. The chef will adjust. Dinner will be delayed tonight to accommodate this unscheduled pre-dinner show.
