Ushk Bay, Southeast Alaska, 8/26/2024, National Geographic Quest
Aboard the
National Geographic Quest
Alaska
Dawn breaks in a beautiful inlet where National Geographic Quest anchored late last night. Yesterday’s storm has passed and patches of blue sky appear as National Geographic Quest begins to wake up. On our transit down Peril Strait, we had the opportunity to see several sea lions, seals, sea otters, and one distant sighting of a humpback whale spout.
Midafternoon finds us in Ushk Bay, our afternoon destination for hiking. Intertidal zone and meadows were explored by our moderate hikers, while longer forays were made into the forest and its salmon stream.
An educator at heart, Dan finds great joy in helping others explore and connect with the world around them. He has taught marine sciences in the Florida Keys and on Catalina Island, science and math in international schools in Mexico, Costa Rica, and ...
A day of Zodiac cruising in Basket Bay on Chichagof Island brought wild beauty and unforgettable encounters. As the morning mist thinned, we traced the rugged shoreline beneath towering forested cliffs, where ochre sea stars clung to rocks and dense clusters of blue mussels covered the intertidal zone like armor. Bald eagles circled overhead, and a river otter slipped along the kelp-strewn shore. Not long into our cruise, a humpback whale surfaced nearby, vanishing as suddenly as it appeared. Then, the real show began. A pod of five orcas emerged from the north, cutting through the water with smooth, deliberate power. Their tall dorsal fins knifed the surface in silence as we viewed them from a respectful distance, the pod weaving in and out of view among the swells. Onshore, waterfalls thundered from the cliffs, swollen with rain, sending spray across the rocks. The air smelled of salt and cedar. We lingered near one cascade, engines low, taking in the raw energy of water meeting sea. By the time we turned back toward the anchorage, the sky had turned dark and williwaws descended upon us. We were all smiles as memories of our special orca encounter shone brightly.
This morning, we awoke to the sun. Our adventures began with a series of hikes at Bartlett Cove, followed by a look at the Tribal House and at Snow, the humpback whale skeleton. We began our cruise north, past wild coastlines to the far extent of Margerie Glacier. Along the way we spotted abundant wildlife, including brown bears, moose, mountain goats, sea otters, sea lions, humpbacks, harbor porpoises, and even a porcupine. Expedition Leader Marylou could barely hold a briefing without getting interrupted by a sighting, but no one on board was complaining!
We awoke this morning to beautiful clear skies in Nakwasina Passage in Sitka Sound. We took in the scenery of the snow-covered peaks reflecting in the glassy waters as we waited for the tide to change in our favor to pass through the narrow Sergius Channel. Today turned out to be a marine mammal extravaganza. After last night’s gray whale encounter, we saw humpback whales, sea lions, harbor seals, river otters, sea otters, harbor porpoises and bow riding Dall’s porpoises. Our day consisted of a variety of hikes and kayaking at Lake Eva and a presentation on an “Overview of Southeast Alaska” and an after-dinner presentation by National Geographic Photo Expert Annie Griffiths. The day was made complete by a spectacular full moonrise over snowcapped peaks. Onward to Glacier Bay National Park.
