Chatham Strait and Thomas Bay, 5/23/2024, National Geographic Quest
Aboard the
National Geographic Quest
Alaska
Sailing through the essential Southeast Alaskan weather of light rain and low clouds, nestled in the forested mountains we made our way south to Thomas Bay for our afternoon excursions. We arrived at Cascade Creek in Thomas where we hiked along the waterfall in the beautiful forest. We also explored by water, kayaking and Zodiac cruising around the small islets in the bay. What a wonderful day of exploring!
Amy was raised near Cape Cod in coastal Marion, Massachusetts, and her relationship with the ocean and nature has always been an active one. Her parents, avid divers and marine biologists, introduced her to the underwater world when she was very youn...
We had the entire day to explore Petersburg, Alaska, a fishing town with a proud Norwegian heritage. The festivities for Norwegian Constitution Day are just beginning, so Norwegian flags decorated homes and public areas, and tents were already set up for special events happening over the next couple of days. We had many excursion options to choose from, including bicycling, nature walks in forest or muskeg, photography walks with our photo experts, or learning about the varied boats of the fishing fleet. This seaside town is surrounded by wildlife, and we watched Steller sea lions from the dock, while some of our shipmates saw a humpback whale from a shuttle bus! For dinner, we feasted on Alaskan Dungeness crab.
Today offered no shortage of hiking adventures through the lush forests of Southeast Alaska. Guests aboard National Geographic Venture enjoyed a variety of hikes at Cascade Creek, including long, moderate, and photo-specific options. Cascade Creek is known for its beautiful waterfalls, and hikers adventurous enough to climb steep rocks using rope handles were rewarded with a sighting of a rough-skinned newt, an uncommon species of salamander. In the afternoon, guests explored Ruth Island, located just across the bay from Cascade Creek. Some hikers experienced their first bushwhack, making their way through thick shrubs, thorny devil’s club, and muddy bogs. Others wandered slowly through the forest, captivated by the many species of lichens, mosses, and plants along the way.
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.
