Cruising through the beautiful combined ancestral lands of the Laxyuubm Ts’msyen, Kitsumkalum, and Gitga’at Lax Yuup Peoples on board National Geographic Venture has already provided some breathtaking sights. Our morning consisted of anchoring to explore the surrounding bay and inlets from kayaks and on Zodiac cruises. Experiencing the coastline from the water allowed us to get an up-close look at wonderful intertidal organisms like the Pisaster sea star and various algae. We spent the afternoon cruising and searching for wildlife, and fortunately, we were not disappointed. At one point, it felt like the ship was surrounded by humpback whales, and a Steller sea lion was seen swimming across the bow. Of course, the iconic landscape of British Columbia’s prolific temperate rainforest was not to be outdone, and a rainbow broke through the cloudy skies. What a day aboard National Geographic Venture.
9/24/2023
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National Geographic Venture
Union Passage
This is Erin and Alison (Grosvenor Teacher Fellows) taking over the daily expedition report one last time before we head home. Today on National Geographic Venture , we cruised an inlet along the coastal shores of British Columbia. The morning was spent on Zodiacs. We explored the islands and took a nice, casual walk along the coastal beach. With informative talks by our naturalist throughout our journey, we were excited to implement our new learning in this ecosystem. On Zodiacs, we stopped by one coast and spotted a nurse tree with a Sitka spruce growing from it. A kingfisher perched on top of the spruce and then flew past us with its unique musical call. A harbor seal popped over to say hi as well. As we hiked the shoreline, we found ourselves stepping over fallen driftwood. Taking a closer look, we discovered turkey tail fungus and slime mold growing on the fallen trees. Barnacles and remnants of bull kelp were scattered along the shore. Continuing to walk along the beach, we observed interesting rock formations. We are enthusiastic about science and nature. During our time aboard National Geographic Venture , we found ourselves more informed, more engaged, and more passionate about this beautiful ecosystem. We loved the discoveries we made while immersed in this space, and we incorporated the information provided by naturalists who shared their passion and work with us. We know that visiting this land is a special gift, and we look forward to sharing our newfound knowledge, experience, and connections with our school communities. Text and photographs by Grosvenor Teacher Fellows, Alison Katzko and Erin Schmidt
