Today we sailed into Glacier Bay National Park. Early this morning we entered Glacier Bay and embarked with our ranger and cultural interpreter. The fog looked foreboding. It was only minutes after breakfast that our fears for an inclement day disappeared. We arrived at South Marble Island to the raucous calls of birds and the low roar of the Steller sea lions. From that moment on, our day was filled with wildlife and breathtaking views of scenery beyond description. Brown bears roamed the beaches while mountain goats, perched on precipitous ledges scanned the scenery below them. Mountains covered in snow fed glaciers carved rounded valleys with strong flowing streams. The glaciers reaching the sea topped off the day. Massive pieces of ice fell to the water in thundering crashes. These mountains of ice bobbed and rolled until a temporary equilibrium was reached, and most of them were hidden under the water. We learned the sounds of the glaciers, we learned the words of the Tlingit people, we heard the knowledge of the ranger and we experienced the power of wilderness.
8/1/2019
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National Geographic Venture
Baranof Island
After exploring the glaciers and open waters of the northern Inside Passage, we sailed south through the night and returned to the starting point of our journey, Baranof Island. This island, along with Admiralty to the east and Chichagof to the north, is home to one of the highest densities of brown bears in the world. To search for evidence of the bears as they begin their yearly salmon feast and continue our exploration of the temperate rainforest, we anchored in Kelp Bay to kayak and hike the shoreline throughout the morning. Later in the afternoon, we welcomed Dr. Andy Szabo of the Alaska Whale Foundation to learn more about ongoing research taking place in Alaska on the unique bubblenet feeding behavior we witnessed earlier in the trip. Only in Alaska can you experience the forest, salmon, bears, and whales all in one day.
