Beluga Morning

Bristol Bay is one of the most vibrant, diverse, and beautiful ecosystems on the coast of Alaska and our fishing site is nestled right in the middle of it all. One of the many animals that visit this area every year is the Beluga Whale. Belugas are white, medium sized whales that travel in large groups. They are known as "sea canaries" due to their extensive repertoire of whistles, grunts, and clicks. They also use echolocation to navigate under the ice, find prey in murky waters, and communicate across watery distances. Every year they visit this area to feast on the smelt and they often pass right by our cabin when the tide is high. This morning we had a 23ft tide, high at 9am. The water line laps at the bottom of the staircase that carries us 35ft up the bluff to our cabins, which gives us the perfect vantage point for viewing the ocean and the Belugas. A ways out off the shore appeared a long, white line of Beluga backs. Unlike other whales, such as Humpbacks, Belugas only slightly surface out of the water, showing only a portion of their back. They travel in a single file line back and forth between river inputs where baby salmon are heading out to sea. It is quite a site to wake up to and such a great reminder of how amazing this ecosystem is.  

™National Geographic