Today, National Geographic Venture entered Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. When captain George Vancouver made charts of Southeast Alaska in 1795, nearly the entire bay was filled by the Grand Pacific Glacier. When famed naturalist John Muir came to Glacier Bay in 1879, the glacier had already retreated 45 miles up the bay. Today, we traveled 65 miles through the bay to reach the tidewater glaciers. This relatively rapid retreat has uncovered a rugged and beautiful landscape, and as the ice melted plants and animals returned to the bay. This is a land that has been reborn from under the ice.
9/3/2022
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National Geographic Quest
Ushk Bay and Peril Strait
National Geographic Quest arose amidst light clouds within the protected waters of Ushk Bay. This area is known for a salmon stream and yields plenty of opportunity for kayaking and exploring the vast meadows of its inner waterways. On this day’s occasion, guests were able to hike and paddle their way along the coast of Ushk Bay and witness firsthand the life cycle of Pacific salmon making their way upstream. As we transited through Peril Strait, we were lucky to see humpback whales. These immense mammals were “lunge feeding” very near our ship. Being able to witness this event was unique for guests and staff. Lunge feeding is process through which individual whales push their gaping mouths through the surface and collect any fish or planktonic invertebrates in the process. Witnessing this behavior was truly a remarkable experience for all. We will cherish this moment for a lifetime.
