Our first full day on National Geographic Quest took us to Tracy Arm and the Sawyer and South Sawyer Glaciers. In classic Alaska fashion, our entry into this glacially carved fjord came complete with low clouds and “liquid sunshine,” making for moody and dramatic vistas from the ship. As luck would have it, the liquid sunshine gave way to actual sunshine just in time for our afternoon Zodiac trips through the ice to the face of the South Sawyer Glacier. Watching the glacier calve into the fjord while harbor seals swam by in the distance made for an amazing afternoon adventure of ice, rock, and biology!
7/23/2024
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National Geographic Quest
Petersburg
This morning National Geographic Quest arrived at the small fishing town and bustling harbor of Petersburg. Petersburg is among the top 20 fishing ports in the United States and walking and biking around the community we could appreciate the charm of the amazing homes along the waterfront. After breakfast we divided into our different groups based on our activities and explored the town by bicycle, walking to a muskeg bog, climbing Petersburg Mountain, or enjoying cultural tours with some of the locals as guides. Every activity was fun and educational. It felt like we were the only tourists in town, and we really got a sense for small town Alaska. After lunch the rain set in and some of us decided to relax on board while others put on rain gear and enjoyed a Zodiac tour around the harbor, walks, or a bike ride around town. Returning to the ship, we had an incredible presentation by a local resident about Tlingit culture before our recap and amazing Dungeness crab dinner that followed. It was another great day in Southeast Alaska.