As we make our way out of Glacier Bay National Park, Gloomy Knob — yes, it’s a rock face shaped like a knob — appears before us. Spotted on the jagged rocks are wild goats, some with their young.

Further along the coast, we’re rewarded with our first sightings of bears — both black and brown. From a distance, they were tiny dots walking along the rock ledges, but zooming in with binoculars, you can actually see their faces. It’s here that I really regret not bringing along my zoom lens to properly capture these gorgeous creatures.

Jim Baichtal, geologist, is the resident U.S. Forest Expert on our cruise. He spots every living creature on the Gloomy Knob. He’s lived in Alaska for over 30 years and seems to know every facet of the wilderness. I saw more bald eagles flying overhead in the last few days then I’ve ever seen before. We spot pectoral sandpipers, cormorants, gulls, and many other birds whose names I can’t remember. Further down the inlet, we reach Marble Island and spot a colony of sea lions lazing on the rocks, looking much like fat brown sausages.