During the first half of the day, we cruised through narrow waterways between countless forested islands. It was a landscape of deep green, with few signs of people. In the afternoon, we investigated Green Inlet by kayaks, Zodiacs, and on bushwhacking walks in the lush forest. After dinner, the ship paused at the site of an abandoned cannery, and a spirit bear walked in front of one of the old wooden buildings.
Photographers (unless specified otherwise): Berit Solstad and Tara Kaestner
5/13/2022
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National Geographic Venture
Today began the final day for National Geographic Venture’s two-week long journey from Seattle to Sitka. One could not help but feel reminiscent as we cruised the coastline to our final landing at Ushk Bay of Chichagof Island. We peeked our heads into the understory to find remnants of the bears that are out enjoying the sprouts of spring. One last breath of forest air and we were back on the water. We spent our afternoon cruising through narrow passages, admiring the forest and marine life. It has been a full two weeks of wildlife, new friendships, laughter, and intentional moments of silence in appreciation of this humbling landscape. Photo caption: Map of our journey from Seattle to Sitka. Photo by Shannon Malone
5/13/2022
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National Geographic Quest
Today we woke up to an absolutely beautiful day here in Southeast Alaska. We are currently in one of our favorite spots for wildlife viewing, known as the Inian Islands. There is an abundance of wildlife in this important area where water rushes in from the Pacific Ocean. As the water meets the land, a shelf causes a great deal of upwelling. This brings nutrient rich water from the ocean floor up to the surface. This feeding ground is a hot spot for Steller sea lions, sea otters, and bald eagles, so we were excited to hop in our Zodiacs and head out to explore this incredible ecosystem. To say that our day was a success would be an understatement! This was a highlight of the trip, and the hardest part of the day was simply deciding where to look as all kinds of wildlife surrounded our Zodiacs. Curious Steller sea lions came right up to us as they played and porpoised on all sides. We could not count the number of bald eagles we spotted, and we were treated to one snatching a fish out of the water right beside us. This is also the perfect time of year to witness sea otters with their new pups nestled in protective kelp forests. Smiles were plentiful, and everyone’s cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing all morning. After lunch, we went kayaking and hiking on the secluded George Island. Turquoise blue water and lush scenery make it a stunning place to explore. The island has beautiful beaches and a dense hemlock and spruce forest with a gorgeous carpet of moss covering the ground. On our hike, we made it to the site of an old World War 2 gun tucked into the forest. We enjoyed sweeping views as we looked toward the Pacific Ocean and the breathtaking Fairweather Mountain Range. Back on the ship, laughter and cheers were heard all around as we reminisced about our incredible day here in Southeast Alaska. This is a day that will live in our hearts forever.
5/12/2022
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National Geographic Venture
On our way to explore the northernmost entrance of the Inside Passage this morning, our breakfast was interrupted. We didn’t mind, because the interruption was a long awaited sighting of killer whales! As we observed the pod, we identified at least one mature male, and a mother and calf pair amongst the rest of the orcas. After peeling ourselves away from the killer whales, we explored the Inian Islands via our expedition landing craft. The Inians are one of the most amazing hotspots for Alaskan wildlife, due to the enormous influx of the tides and the mixing of water that occurs in this pinch point. As we transitioned to our afternoon activity of hiking on George Island, our transit was thwarted yet again. We had another sighting of killer whales! We were pleasantly surprised to realize it was the same pod observed earlier in the morning! The killer whales kindly guided us to our anchorage, and we made our way ashore. We spent the rest of our afternoon exploring the various paths and lookout points on George Island. Upon returning to National Geographic Venture , we finished off our day with the world premiere of Venture Trivia Night with our naturalists!
