The sighting of humpback whales served as the bookend to our day. This morning we awoke to glassy, calm waters of Chatham Strait, where a brown bear sauntered along the shoreline behind a surfacing humpback whale. For the afternoon we anchored in Hanus Bay, offering opportunities to explore the temperate rainforest along the trail to Lake Eva as well as to kayak. Dessert was an extra-special delight this evening – as dinner concluded, we hurried outside to witness the cooperative feeding behavior of a group of bubble netting humpback whales!
7/16/2024
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National Geographic Venture
Kuiu Island, Alaska
An announcement to rise came a few minutes earlier than usual as we approached the northwestern coastline of Kuiu Island, due to a black bear observed along the coastline. Coffee mugs in hands, many passengers made their way to the bow to view the bear. After breakfast, we were off for morning activities in Halleck Harbor, a protected bay along Kuiu Island. We alternated between hikes of various durations and Zodiac tours, allowing passengers to explore iconically rugged coastlines and lush vibrant temperate rainforests that exemplify Southeast Alaska. The undersea team was able to get out for a short dive. Upon their return, they raved about the richness of life observed during their exploration. After coming aboard for lunch, our Global Explorers joined naturalists on the bow. It was not long before one of our naturalists, Veronica, spotted humpback whales working together to capture herring through a behavior called bubble-net feeding. Enjoying this gift from nature, we watched as six whales continuously dived and resurfaced in synchrony. We spent the rest of the afternoon searching for whales, and our Global Explorers enjoyed pizza in the lounge surrounded by the waters of Chatham Strait.
