After raising our anchor, National Geographic Venture moved to our new anchorage in the Inian Islands. Looking for wildlife and a morning of adventure, we enjoyed two rounds of Zodiac cruising in this magical group of small islands. We had incredible encounters with Steller sea lions and sea otters! During lunch, National Geographic Venture repositioned to Port Althorp for a variety of walks across a large tidal meadow to a very active salmon stream, where two species of salmon captured our attention as they struggled upstream toward their spawning beds! We enjoyed lots of signs of brown bears and one bear sighting made for a very exciting afternoon of hikes!
9/3/2022
Read
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.
