Sunshine, Smacks & Snorkeling: Another Week of Southeast Alaska Adventures

If there’s one thing Southeast Alaska has taught me this season, it’s that the weather likes to keep us guessing. This week, however, it decided to give us something a little different: sunshine. Lots and lots of sunshine.

We cruised from Sitka to Juneau under absolutely beautiful skies, with sunny weather pretty much every single day. The guests were thrilled, of course—and honestly, so were we. But after this much sunshine, the guides have started quietly hoping for a little rain. Not because we don’t appreciate blue skies, but because once you start walking into the forest, it becomes very obvious just how dry things are getting. The moss that is usually damp and squishy is starting to feel crunchy, and the forest is definitely showing signs that fall is on its way.

Speaking of things floating around in the water, we’ve also been seeing some seriously impressive groups of jellyfish lately. And did you know that a group of jellyfish is called a smack?

Yes. A smack of jellyfish.

It might be one of my favorite collective nouns in the animal kingdom.

Jellyfish may seem like relatively insignificant little blobs drifting around in the ocean, but our guests absolutely love them. There’s something mesmerizing about watching dozens—or sometimes hundreds—of them pulsing through the water together. They may not have a face, brain, or bones, but somehow they still manage to steal the show.

We had some fantastic wildlife encounters this week, starting with a kayak around Emmons Island. As if the scenery wasn’t already enough, we were greeted by a humpback whale during our paddle. There’s something pretty special about sitting quietly in a kayak while a whale moves through the same stretch of water. It’s one of those moments where everyone suddenly stops paddling and just watches.

Later that afternoon at Patterson Bay, I took guests out on a bushwhack and we came across a coastal brown bear hanging out in a salmon stream.

And this bear was chill.

It really didn’t seem to care that we were there. We were able to get some fantastic looks while giving the bear plenty of space, and the guests were absolutely thrilled. Watching a bear calmly go about its business while salmon are swimming around its feet is one of those quintessential Southeast Alaska experiences.

That evening, we gathered around a bonfire, and naturally, the bear encounter was one of the main topics of conversation. It’s hard to beat swapping wildlife stories around a fire after spending the day exploring Alaska.

But the bear wasn’t actually the biggest topic of conversation among the guides.

That honor went to a sea otter skeleton.

We came across an almost complete sea otter skeleton, and, as you might expect from a group of naturalists, the cameras immediately came out. The skull in particular became the star of the show. There’s something about finding a complete animal skeleton that instantly turns everyone into an amateur forensic scientist. Suddenly, we’re all examining teeth, bones, and skull shape and trying to piece together the story of this particular otter.

Of course, I couldn’t resist taking a few pictures myself.

We also managed to squeeze in another snorkel this week!

The water visibility wasn’t quite as good as it was last week, but that certainly didn’t stop us from having fun. We found plenty of sea stars and a few hermit crabs, and the guests had an absolute blast.

In fact, they spent almost the entire 40 minutes laughing.

Some of that was probably because snorkeling in Alaska is a rather unique experience. The 14mm wetsuits keep you wonderfully warm, but they also have a tendency to make you incredibly buoyant. Several guests discovered that the suit really, really wanted them to float on their backs.

So there we were, bobbing around in the water, trying to look for sea stars while occasionally watching someone unexpectedly flip over like a very well-insulated turtle.

It was hilarious.

And every time someone pulled their snorkel out of their mouth, the laughter seemed to start all over again. Not exactly a serious scientific expedition—but definitely a memorable one!

And then there was Glacier Bay.

With weather this good, Glacier Bay was absolutely spectacular. The Fairweather Mountains were putting on a show, and Mount Fairweather itself dominated the skyline. On a clear day, the scale of those mountains is almost impossible to comprehend.

I also had the opportunity to do the ridge hike above Lamplugh Glacier. I made it to around 500 feet, and the views were simply stunning. Standing above the glacier with the mountains stretching out around you is one of those moments that makes you stop and appreciate just how lucky you are.

And I really am lucky.

I get to call this place my workplace.

Not every office comes with humpback whales, brown bears, glaciers, sea otters, and mountains like these.

The season is beginning to wind down, though, and the first little hints of fall are starting to appear. Up on the ridges, some of the willows are beginning to change color, and others are starting to go dormant. It’s amazing how quickly the season has gone by. It feels like we just started, and somehow we’re already watching summer slowly give way to fall.

But we’re not done yet.

There are still plenty of adventures ahead, plenty of wildlife to find, and—if Alaska has anything to say about it—probably a few surprises waiting around the next corner.

So here’s to the rest of the season: more whales, more bears, more jellyfish smacks, more snorkeling, and hopefully just enough rain to keep the forest happy.

I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Glacier Bay in front of Lamplugh Glacier with he boat anchored close to the shore.

A Smack of Moon Jellyfish