Today was our full day to play around in Dundas Bay, one of the fjords just west of the main Glacier Bay, in Glacier Bay National Park. We’re lucky because the regulations in Dundas Bay allow us to do hikes, kayaking and Zodiac cruises, which we can’t do in the main bay under the permit system! So, after breakfast we sent off hikers first, then cruisers, and finally the kayakers to explore different parts of the area. It was an overcast day, but again refused to rain, and we were easily able to do two rounds of each activity, one in the morning, and one after lunch! There were also some great wildlife sightings along the way – many sea otters, harbor porpoise, harbor seals and a very large Alaskan brown bear! We were so lucky to have the chance to explore this incredible park in this way!
9/9/2023
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National Geographic Quest
Ushk Bay
Morning fog swallowed the Southeast Alaskan wilderness. As we cruised into Ushk Bay, anticipation seized the vessel. This morning’s hikes and Zodiac cruises were to be our final operations of the trip; every last one of us was eager to be ensconced in the wonders of the Tongass once again. Following a delicious breakfast — prepared by head chef Paul Cotta and his dedicated team — we set out for shore. Through a light rain we cruised on Zodiacs toward our landing, scattering bald eagles and common mergansers that had congregated along the shore. Ushk Bay’s annual salmon run was nearing its conclusion —and we could smell it. The shoreline was littered with rotting carcasses of pink and chum salmon, many of which were picked apart by corvids, gulls, and bears. Whether or not any of these individuals survived long enough to spawn is a mystery, but there is one certainty amidst this carnage — their sacrifice is not in vain. Their carcasses will enrich this place, injecting the forest with nutrients from the sea. Our last afternoon was spent cruising toward our anchorage near Sitka. The final day of a Lindblad Expeditions cruise is always a hard day. We have all forged new bonds in the fires of wilderness. Every one of us has found ourselves challenged and rewarded, humbled and humored, inspired and inspirational throughout this week. Our new bonds will, thanks to modern technology, be preserved in photographs and videos. Many will be carried on through photos and emails, but this group will never be reconstituted. Though it’s hard to say goodbye, the impermanence of this troupe makes the experience all the more poignant. These adventurers will surely be missed.
