For the first time in 15 months we’re posting Daily Expedition Reports from Alaska. This simple act—the ordinary telling of the truth about an expedition day, as we have for decades—feels momentous. We are jumping for joy—knowing National Geographic Quest is on the move and guests are having the extraordinary experiences we have waited so long to provide. – The Lindblad Expeditions Team

The entire complement onboard the National Geographic Quest was absolutely thrilled to set sail from Sitka, Alaska on June 5, 2021. We celebrated the reactivation of our expeditions by taking a photograph on our vessel and sharing it with the National Geographic Endeavor II which also set sail in Galapagos.

We left our anchorage in Sitka early in the morning to sail through the Sergis Narrows to Peril Strait into and then into Chatham Strait around lunch where we spotted several humpback whales.

Everyone onboard went via Zodiac into Hanus Bay to take advantage of hikes and photo-oriented walks of varying length. Many others utilized kayaks and stand-up paddleboards to enjoy the bay and several were treated to views of coastal brown bears from the water. 

We viewed several more humpbacks during and after dinner and headed north toward our next destination, Glacier Bay.