Starting the day with Zodiac tours in the Inian Islands, we saw harbor seals, sea otters, puffins, and many Steller sea lions. The ocean currents seemed to possess a will of their own, nosing and nudging our Zodiacs in whatever direction it pleased. As the ship continued to Port Althorp, the Fairweather Mountainrange came into view, revealing peaks 15,000 feet in ascent. Upon our arrival at the port, the group split between hiking and kayaking operations. Traversing through mud, hikers came across bear tracks, ultimately reaching a stream of spawning salmon, while further downcurrent, kayakers got firsthand vantages of jelly fish and harbor seals.
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.
