Today was the first time our expedition on National Geographic Sea Lion was able to visit and explore the face of a tidewater glacier. Tracy Arm, a fjord, was filled with large chunks of recently calved ice in a variety of shapes and sizes. Under the bright, yellow sunlight, our eyes were dazzled with exciting images in every direction. Fresh water cascaded down the side of the fjord walls, carving out the granite and feeding the mosses and plants. Mountain goats grazed together in the green carpet. It was a to take in, and an overwhelming fortune to find so much beauty surrounding us. In the afternoon, we continued adventuring in William’s Cove. Our spirits were incredibly high, our bodies full of energy to enjoy our last afternoon together to the fullest. Some kayaked, others on stand-up paddleboards, and many went on extraordinary forest hikes. Our last day of this expedition was easily also one of our finest.
7/18/2024
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National Geographic Quest
Freshwater Bay, Chichagof Island
This morning before breakfast, the bridge team of National Geographic Quest spotted orcas in Freshwater Bay. Eager to see this iconic whale species, the bow was quickly occupied by excited guests, staff, and crew. We could not have asked for better conditions. A sunny, calm morning with at least a dozen orcas! Wow! After breakfast we went ashore at Kennel Creek on Chichagof Island and split into aerobic, moderate, and casual walking groups. After yesterday’s wet forest at Fox Creek, we welcomed the firm, dry ground of an old logging road. Along our walks there were abundant signs of brown bears. One of the two aerobic walks had fresh bear tracks on top of their footprints upon their return. In the afternoon cruising down Chatham Strait, we enjoyed time on deck soaking up the sun when an eagle-eye naturalist spotted a group of humpbacks ten miles away! As we approached, we could see that this was no small group, as twenty-three whales were bubble net feeding! This day will long be imprinted in our memories of wild Alaska.