Today was the first time our expedition on National Geographic Sea Lion was able to visit and explore the face of a tidewater glacier. Tracy Arm, a fjord, was filled with large chunks of recently calved ice in a variety of shapes and sizes. Under the bright, yellow sunlight, our eyes were dazzled with exciting images in every direction. Fresh water cascaded down the side of the fjord walls, carving out the granite and feeding the mosses and plants. Mountain goats grazed together in the green carpet. It was a to take in, and an overwhelming fortune to find so much beauty surrounding us. In the afternoon, we continued adventuring in William’s Cove. Our spirits were incredibly high, our bodies full of energy to enjoy our last afternoon together to the fullest. Some kayaked, others on stand-up paddleboards, and many went on extraordinary forest hikes. Our last day of this expedition was easily also one of our finest.
5/13/2025
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National Geographic Venture
Basket Bay
A day of Zodiac cruising in Basket Bay on Chichagof Island brought wild beauty and unforgettable encounters. As the morning mist thinned, we traced the rugged shoreline beneath towering forested cliffs, where ochre sea stars clung to rocks and dense clusters of blue mussels covered the intertidal zone like armor. Bald eagles circled overhead, and a river otter slipped along the kelp-strewn shore. Not long into our cruise, a humpback whale surfaced nearby, vanishing as suddenly as it appeared. Then, the real show began. A pod of five orcas emerged from the north, cutting through the water with smooth, deliberate power. Their tall dorsal fins knifed the surface in silence as we viewed them from a respectful distance, the pod weaving in and out of view among the swells. Onshore, waterfalls thundered from the cliffs, swollen with rain, sending spray across the rocks. The air smelled of salt and cedar. We lingered near one cascade, engines low, taking in the raw energy of water meeting sea. By the time we turned back toward the anchorage, the sky had turned dark and williwaws descended upon us. We were all smiles as memories of our special orca encounter shone brightly.
