Intro: Today was the last full day of our incredible expedition from Sitka to Juneau. We have seen brown bear mothers with her cubs, wild salmon, colorful wildflowers, humpback whales bubble net feeding and more. This morning we completed our journey by spending the day with ice, the one thing it had been missing. National Geographic Sea Lion entered Tracy Arm while most of us were sleeping, so we woke to the view of scenic fjords with small chunks of ice floating past our cabin windows. Then in the afternoon, we had the opportunity to do the polar plunge, jumping off a Zodiac into the brisk Alaskan water and quickly swim the fjord. Energy was high and the swim got the whole ship excited! By the evening, we knew it was time to start planning our departure. Our time spent in Alaska was filled with fortunate moments. I believe we will all begin planning our next trip soon enough.
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.
