A few mothers are swimming with their pups. Jim eyes a dead Sea Lion on a rock and explains that he most likely challenged the alpha sea lion and lost the battle for dominance. You could see its blood on the rock — yikes! At last, I spot a humpback whale, or a small part of it, since they don’t breach the water for very long. The sighting signals that they’ve returned to their winter feeding grounds.

Later we see orcas, a family of three, swimming and most likely looking for prey. According to National Geographic, “orcas, also known as killer whales, are at the top of the food chain and are known to hunt in pods.” The mothers are very protective of their young.

Halfway through our week in Alaska, a group of us join Jim on a fossil discovery tour around Big Bear Baby Bear State Marine Park in the Peril Straits. After stopping on two islands, we finally hit the jackpot on many fronts: We spot a colony of seals sunning themselves, a humpback whale swims past, and Jim finds and points out some 250-million-year-old fossils. As an avid rock collector, I select a small sample to add to my collection as well.

A good day indeed as we take the skiff back to the ship for cocktails and dinner.