It isn’t very often that the clouds part in Southeast Alaska, but we are ecstatic when these rare days line up with Glacier Bay Day! Along with some impressive calving from Margerie Glacier, the bay treated us to a rich array of wildlife including numerous species of seabirds, humpback whales, sea otters, and Steller sea lions. We finished the day with hikes in Bartlett Cove near the park headquarters before heading west for the Inian Islands.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 13 Aug 2024
Glacier Bay, Alaska, 8/13/2024, National Geographic Quest
- Aboard the National Geographic Quest
- Alaska
Dave Cannamore, Naturalist
All it took was four days in the British Columbia wilderness to turn David from a basketball-obsessed 18-year-old into a lifelong kayaker and explorer of wild places. Since that fateful adventure, David has based many of his life choices around getti...
Read MoreShare Report
Alaska's Inside Passage
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
6/10/2025
Read
National Geographic Quest
Salt Chuck Bay
We started the morning in Salt Chuck Bay under beautiful, partly sunny skies. We had perfect conditions for our first kayaking adventure. The sandy beach at low tide allowed kayakers an easy entrance into the serene and quiet world of paddling. While some guests paddled away, the rest of the group explored the intertidal zone and took a quick walk in the forest. The afternoon weather held, and we enjoyed one of the expedition team’s favorite activities: exploring the Inian Islands by Zodiac. Steller sea lions argued and growled on the rocks, birds flew overhead, and sea otters roiled in the currents. It all made for a perfect afternoon.
6/9/2025
Read
National Geographic Quest
Ushk Bay and Chatham Strait
We were met today with ideal Alaskan weather: crisp, clear, and calm. We enjoyed perfect conditions for hiking through the forests and alluvial meadow of Ushk Bay. We split into groups depending on hiking desires and set off into the wilderness. We hiked on game trails through forests of western hemlock and Sitka spruce, crossed shallow streams, gazed at spring wildflowers, and investigated intertidal organisms. It was a lovely morning of stretching our legs and exploring the temperate rainforest. In the afternoon, we cruised along the gorgeous fjords of Peril Strait and Chatham Strait, where we searched for wildlife. We were delighted to find a humpback whale that was repeatedly diving and coming up to the surface to lunge feed. It was rolling and slapping its pectoral fins and putting on quite a display of behaviors that were a joy to watch. It was a wonderful first day of expeditions aboard National Geographic Quest .