We start our morning aboard National Geographic Venture in Peril Strait, the main waterway that leads from Chatham Strait and on through a series of narrows to the town of Sitka in Southeast Alaska. Our destination for the morning and afternoon is Saook Bay, a quiet protected inlet that was once the site of a logging operation. We spend the morning viewing bald eagles in spruce trees, Sitka black-tailed deer on the beach, and a lone harbor seal from the observation deck. After breakfast we head to the beach for early afternoon photo walks, beach hikes and bushwhacks, and a gentle kayak adventure at the head of Saook; all the while we listen to the shrill calls of varied thrushes and enjoy the gentle solace of the grassy marshes of the back bay. Our evening is spent cruising slowly through Peril Strait near Deadman’s Reach, where we spot a playful pod of Dall’s porpoises and two humpback whales in the evening light. We have enjoyed a magnificent journey seeing new sites and making new friends. We look forward to our day tomorrow in Sitka.
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.
