For me, today’s highlight was taking an excursion with our eight young Global Explorers onboard. We hiked fast, laughed, counted banana slugs, and sat and observed a mother brown bear and her cubs. On the return, they tested their Zodiac driving skills and we debriefed a marvelous voyage. It is so great to see so many young travelers coming on our trips, knowing full well that they will be key influencers in the future of our forests.
5/13/2024
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Wrangell
It was a quintessentially Southeast Alaskan morning: cool, blue-gray, and shrouded in ethereal mist. The whole ship was eager to explore the town of Wrangell. As we disembarked, we prepared for many different adventures: most took off up the Stikine River, others enjoyed a stroll along a beach renowned for its petroglyphs, and still others were witnesses to a traditional Tlingit ceremony at Chief Shake’s Tribal House. I spent the morning leading a hike up Mt. Dewey, where guests enjoyed their first taste of the temperate rainforest. Bald eagles, banana slugs, and the spring blooms of the understory were among the highlights. Now we are gathered in the lounge to enjoy libations and merriment as we transit through the Wrangell Narrows. Our expert Bridge team will weave through the constricted passageway, aided by decades of experience and the navigational installments of mariners past. Full of local seafood and eager for tomorrow, we will rest well.