It feels as though our entire journey north has been leading up to us witnessing a glacier in all her glory. We’ve been learning to notice the signs of glaciers as we admire the stunning wilderness in the fjords we transit. We went up Tracy Arm today in hopes of seeing an active tidewater glacier. As we made our way farther and farther into the fjord, it became apparent that National Geographic Quest was completely surrounded. There was ice everywhere and of every size. Some pieces were small enough for a cocktail, and others were as large as skyscrapers. We embraced the ice and spent our morning cruising around the beautiful sculptures. Many intrepid explorers made a landing on the beach and even got a taste of some of the ancient ice. It seems the glacier was intent on giving us only a tease at her might, so we will rally north to Glacier Bay National Park in search of a closer look at a tidewater glacier tomorrow. Oh…and some very brave souls took the opportunity to polar plunge in the fjord!
9/15/2024
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National Geographic Quest
At Sea
Today started in the middle of the night with a call from expedition leader Shawn Lucas, gently waking us up to come on deck to see the Northern Lights. The kaleidoscope of colors in the night sky was the first reminder of how small we are on this planet. After clearing customs in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, the ship sailed through the narrow, glacially carved passageways, continuing the theme of how small humans are in this big world. I gave a whale talk in the afternoon, trying to set the stage for the real animals to appear. My trap worked, and the whales showed up just as I finished. We had the rare opportunity to watch not only humpback whales, but also fin whales and an elephant seal. Our sister ship, National Geographic Venture , sailed by just outside of Grenville Channel, giving us a chance to wave at our friends. Feeling small in this beautiful landscape is easy with such amazing scenery and wildlife. Photographers: Amy Venema, Phil Chaon, and Patrick Webster