We bid a sad farewell to the northern passages, but look forward to a joyous welcome home as we cruise south along the eastern seaboard of Vancouver Island and head into the Salish Sea of Washington State. Merry travelers cruise along the same passage as we, waving and smiling as they sail by. We enter into US customs and the safe moorage of Friday Harbor well after noon, anticipating a leisurely landfall and stroll through the town. All we have seen and learned about our marine mammal friends who have accompanied us on many parts of our voyage are re-capped at the Whale Museum, where we contemplate our own impact on the marine highways and bi-ways that we have sojourned for the past two weeks.
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.
