Today we enjoyed a wonderful exploration one of my favorite places in Southeast Alaska, Pavlof Harbor. Located along the eastern shore of the large Chichagof Island, Pavlof has been the site of several human settlement over time, including Tlingit fishing camps and more recent canneries and salteries. It is now a wonderful natural site where brown bears roam the temperate rainforest, and salmon and beavers swim at the stream. It is also the site of one of my favorite dive sites in Alaska. Nick Brown and I had the chance to go SCUBA diving and brought an underwater video for everyone on board to watch. Later we sailed the across Chatham Strait and were delighted to watch both killer and humpback whales, ending another perfect day exploring Southeast Alaska.
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.
