Expedition Stories

Our fleet navigates the world in search of adventure. These are the stories they bring back…

World View

coastal landscape - rocks and moss with an island in the background

9/20/2021

2 Min Read

Where Is the Salish Sea?

The name “Salish Sea” is a relatively new term coined to describe the Pacific Northwest's most unique ecosystem. Read on to learn more, and then join us this fall to experience it for yourself.

World View

11/16/2022

4 Min Read

Notable Birds of the Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest harbors a diversity of habitats ideal for birdlife like the rhinoceros auklet, Steller’s jay, and red-breasted sapsucker. These are just a few of the species to spot on expeditions in the region.

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Daily Expedition Reports

Follow Along

Daily Expedition Reports

4/14/2024

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National Geographic Orion

Tahaa Island, French Polynesia

La orana and greetings! Welcome to beautiful Tahaa Island, known as the vanilla island of French Polynesia. Today National Geographic Orion anchored in the lagoon of Tahaa Island in French Polynesia.   To start the day, we ventured to a vanilla plantation where we were hosted by plantation co-owner, Bryan. He explained the intricacies of planting, caring for, and harvesting the vanilla bean.   Our visit was followed by snorkelling in a pristine lagoon off the shore of Mahaea Islet and a fantastic beach BBQ put together by Chef Lorenzo and his team. Needless to say, our guests welcomed the great variety of delicacies provided, not to mention the service from our incredible hospitality staff, led by Hotel Manager Fran and maître d’ Mio.   The day’s outdoor activities ended with a swim with the whitetip sharks of Tahaa. An experience our guests could not stop talking about.   Expeditions with Lindblad/National Geographic are about sharing unique moments and today was no exception. Photos by Alex Joesph and Tua Pittman

Daily Expedition Reports

4/14/2024

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National Geographic Endurance

At Sea

The Atlantic north of the equator welcomed us this morning with clear skies and calm seas. It was a good day to relax and attend a presentation on sea turtles by Dennis Cornejo, as well as to brush up on citizen science apps with Steve Backus.   In between the scheduled talks, we were able to appreciate an increase in the volume of Sargassum around us. Our undersea team descended on a Zodiac to collect samples for everyone to observe at recap.   After the excitement of the sampling operation, the day returned to a calmer rhythm. Our creativity flourished in workshops like Amy Malkoski’s watercolor class. After teatime, Sue Forbes shared tips for processing photos directly on our phones, which we practiced.   We wrapped up the day with useful advice on how to communicate in Portuguese from Madalena Patacho. This will undoubtedly come in handy when we arrive to Cabo Verde, Madeira and the Azores.

Daily Expedition Reports

4/13/2024

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National Geographic Sea Bird

Astoria and Cape Disappointment

Astoria is known for the Goonies, Short Circuit, and Free Willy, but we saw a different side of it by visiting the Columbia River Maritime Museum, Astoria Column, and Cape Disappointment.   Our day started by exploring the highly regarded Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center on Cape Disappointment, overlooking the confluence of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. We hiked down to Waikiki Beach, where in 1811 Hawaiian sailors washed up on shore trying to transit over the perilous Columbia River Bar. We also took in the Maya Lin Confluence Exhibit celebrating the bicentennial of Lewis and Clark’s expedition to the Pacific Ocean. Guests toured the highly regarded Maritime Museum, celebrating Astoria’s deep maritime history. We also visited the Astoria Column, towering 125-feet above Coxcomb Hill with majestic views of the mouth of the Columbia River, Oregon, and Washington coastlines.   Guests returned to National Geographic Sea Bird for their final cocktail hour, recap, and dinner, followed by the world premiere of the guest slide show.   Photos by Patrick MacQuarrie and John Pachuta

Daily Expedition Reports

4/13/2024

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National Geographic Islander II

Santa Cruz Island

Today we explored Bartolome Islet and Cerro Dragon on Santa Cruz Island. These sites are remarkable and beautiful, offering impressive views of the volcanic landscape of the Galapagos. During the morning, we hiked and snorkeled in Bartolome. In the afternoon, we moved to Cerro Dragon for a hike through a dry forest to look for Galapagos land iguanas.