Two Ton Tongue

Fact for the day: the TONGUE of a mature Humpback Whale weighs approximately TWO TONS.  You can thank me the next time you win a game of trivia.  But really...is that not insane?!?  We learned so much about the flora and fauna of Alaska all along the way on this trip!  Two of our expedition leaders were naturalists who had heads full of  knowledge.  (Cam was deemed the "Algae Guy" because that was his specialized area of study.  I learned more than I knew was possible about seaweed, kelp, lichen, etc.)  We welcomed a park ranger aboard who guided us around Glacier Bay National Park for a couple of days.  It was so insightful having an expert of the area actually stay on the ship with us as a resource during our entire time in the Park.

Interesting facts and intriguing details aside, it was pretty awesome just to SEE so much wildlife on our journey. 

My personal wildlife log from the trip:
- Porcupines: Mendenhall Glacier area 5/12, 5/13 (2)
- Humpback whales:  5/13, Tracy Arm 5/15 (2), 5/16, Frederick Sound 5/17 (3)
- Sea otters:  5/14, 5/15 (multiple rafts!), Kuiu Island kayaking 5/17
- Porpoises:  Glacier Bay 5/14, 5/15 (from our cabin window!), Orca Point Lodge 5/15, 5/16 (during dinner), Frederick Sound 5/17
- Bald eagles:  5/12, 5/13, 5/14, 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19....multiple EVERY DAY of the cruise!
- Stellar Sea Lions:  South Marble Island 5/14, Sunset Island 5/16, Frederick Sound 5/17
- Sea anemone, sea urchins, mussels, clams:  Orca Point Lodge 5/15, Kuiu Island 5/17, anytime you were on a shore!
- Cinnamon black bears:  Tracy Arm 5/16 (3)
- Black bears:  Tracy Arm 5/16 (2)
- Seals:  Sawyer Glacier 5/16, Kuiu Island 5/17
- Orcas:  5/16 (during dinner), 5/17 (2 right by the bow of our ship), 5/19 (pod of 8)
- Mink:  Kuiu Island 5/17
- Too many bird species to count that I unfortunately do not know the names of!