Cascade Creek and Petersburg, 6/13/2017, National Geographic Sea Bird
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Bird
Alaska
As we were enjoying our daily stretch class on the upper deck, we pulled into Thomas Bay and anchored for our morning at Cascade Creek.
In the afternoon we went to Petersburg, where some of us discovered the beautiful muskeg on Kupreanof Island. Others took a floatplane over the LeConte Glacier, before exploring the quaint Norwegian town of Petersburg.
Michelle grew up in France and found “home” upon her arrival in California in 1985. In 1987, a near death experience opened the doors to the deep connection between Body Mind Spirit and she became fascinated with the human body. Instead of furthering...
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We awoke this morning in Petersburg, Alaska. Petersburg was founded close to the Leconte Glacier so that the ice could be used to keep fish preserved, very important since more than half of the town of Petersburg is engaged in the fishing industry. We spent the day exploring the town of Petersburg and the muskeg on Kupreanof Island. There were two local guides that led hikes showcasing the beauty of the area. We also took Zodiac cruises to explore the harbor and ventured around town on a bike ride. After a full day of enjoying Petersburg, one of the local guides came onboard to tell us about Tlingit culture and history. Dinner was an amazing crab and rib feast, a very fitting dinner after spending the day in a town built by the seafood industry. The day drew to a close with a fascinating presentation just after sunset about salmon.
Sunrise occurred through the fog this morning aboard National Geographic Quest as we cruised the Five Fingers Region. The name derives from the arrangement of the islands when seen from above, as they resemble the phalanges of a hand. I like to think of them as the skeletal hand of Neptune looking to pull ships into the briny deep, hence the historic lighthouse on the south island. “Whale soup” was the theme of the morning, with numerous humpback whales around the island feeding on krill. The afternoon found the ship in Endicott Arm for a visit to Dawes Glacier, where we used the Zodiacs to get up-close-and-personal with the terminal face. The change of seasons is resulting in colder days, especially in the fjords, so a visit from the cocoa boat really warmed the cockles of our hearts.
The rain that was forecast and promised for the whole trip finally found us today. But it did not dampen spirits — everyone was keen to get out in the Zodiacs for an up-close-and-personal experience with glacial ice and the surrounding environment. One amazing perk of the skies opening up on us was the enlivening of the mountains by an amazing abundance of waterfalls. They came in all forms — from trickles and slivers of white, to raging muddy torrents creating their own clouds of mist as they hit the fjord’s waterline. It certainly was an atmospheric morning afloat in front of South Sawyer Glacier, and the arrival of the hotel boat peddling its hot and spiked beverages was cheered by everyone. Once back on board and dry, a few housekeeping activities kept us busy in the afternoon. The “map my voyage” activity with naturalist Kim was well attended — unsurprising, given that everyone wanted to remember where they had been on this spectacular voyage. The evening’s slideshow was the perfect closure to an unforgettable seven days aboard National Geographic Quest .
