Middle Arm, Kelp Bay, Baranof Island, 6/13/2022, National Geographic Quest
Aboard the
National Geographic Quest
Alaska
Tucked into a small alcove surrounded by dense forest, a small beach provided our first landing in Alaska for an excited group of 14 explorers. Our little band ranged from twenty-somethings to sixty-somethings, all ready for the unknown adventures in a little corner of the seventeen-million-acre Tongass National Forest, where the only trails we could find were made by bears, deer, and weasels, and our only certainty was discovery.
Muskegs crossed by perennial bear trails, red-throated loons and Barrow’s goldeneyes swimming in remote lakes, steep ravines lined with salmonberry, deer grazing in pocket meadows, and snow accenting not-so-far-off mountains surrounded us as we bushwhacked our way through the forest, not knowing what lies ahead or where our exploration would lead us.
An autodidact, Jim has spent a lifetime studying and exploring what he refers to as “the intersection of human progress and wildness.” Stumbling on the writings of Aldo Leopold in his early twenties—namely Leopold’s essay Thinking Like a Mountain —la...
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Wakeup calls came early for guests and staff aboard National Geographic Quest this morning. With fog and a storm in the forecast, it was decided by the expedition leads to begin our operations early in the morning. This was a decision to make the most of weather conditions, tides, and circumstance. Early risers scarfed down their breakfasts and rode Zodiacs through the fog to George Island, where groups dispersed for a variety of hikes. Some groups moved swiftly across the island, while others slowed down to explore tide pools and hear about the history of the island, a strategic point during the World War II era. After two rounds of George Island jaunts, intrepid souls stormed the cool waters of a granitic stone beach. This was our polar plunge, an event we aim to make happen during each voyage. After a quick turnaround and brunch, two rounds of Zodiac tours took off for the Inian Islands. The Inians offer some of our most memorable excursions. It’s a jam-packed ride, and cavorting, curious Steller sea lions and rafts of sea otters were the highlights. Cold and wet, guests embarked and took warm showers before many made their way to the lounge. By this point of the voyage, friendships amongst former strangers have formed, and the lounge was alive with conversation, laughter, and games amongst the groups of kids. Just as the ship made its way into Glacier Bay National Park, naturalist Alex gave a presentation on his specialty, birds. The timing was intentional; we were on our way to Marble Island, where groups of puffins, guillemots, and murrelets greeted the group. With birds on our minds, a humpback whale made a series of full breaches before dinner as we continued towards Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park. Cruising through the fog and drizzle, spirits remained warm and eager for what awaited us around the next bend of the fjord. Photo caption and photographer: Zodiac driver Kerry takes a break under an umbrella from the atmospheric rain that fell on Southeast Alaska today. This rain is why we have the temperate rainforest that we explored throughout the trip. Photo by Alex Krowiak
A rare Southeast Alaska blue sky––perhaps an omen of the coming rains––hung over Pavlov Harbor as we boarded our inflatable landing crafts for slow, quiet ferries to shore. Ten at a time, we eased to the shore, disembarked, took off our life jackets, and passed them back to the boat. We gathered in tight circles for whispered instructions: “Stay with the group. Keep your voices down. Always listen to your naturalists…” In groups of twenty, we made our way along the shore to the designated viewing area, where we drew cameras with telephoto lenses and binoculars from our bags. A hundred-and-fifty yards upstream, a rushing cascade of whitewater tumbled over rocks and dropped twenty feet down to the broad, shallow stream below. The stream flowed past us to mix with the saltwater of the somewhat ironically named Freshwater Bay, with Chatham Strait beyond. Standing side-by-side in the shallows between us and the falls, we spotted a pair of small brown bears––most likely siblings recently abandoned by a sow who has completed her parenting responsibilities. Their attention was split between the pink salmon that continually evaded their sharp claws. A larger sow with a cub was finding more success as she pounced on fish near the base of the falls. All in all, eight different bears put on a show, some catching pink salmon, and others, having not perfected their strategy, coming up empty. Back on the ship, our blue sky slowly faded to a tangerine sunset, and eighty guests tucked in for dreams of bears and Alaska weather.
It was a fjordeous day in Patterson Bay and Chatham Strait. We woke up to National Geographic Quest inching her way into Patterson Bay, a narrow fjord on the southeast side of Baranof Island. Misty clouds gave way to towering cliffs, hammering home just how small we are in the big scheme of things. Our morning adventures included kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding tours around the head of the bay and Zodiac tours out towards the mouth. Sea otters, sea stars, and waterfalls cascading down the cliffs were the highlights of the morning. In the afternoon, we left the narrows of Patterson Bay and cruised north in the openness of Chatham Strait. Humpback whales, marbled murrelets, and Cassin’s auklets kept us company as we sailed through the mercurial waters.
