Today was our full day to play around in Dundas Bay, one of the fjords just west of the main Glacier Bay, in Glacier Bay National Park. We’re lucky because the regulations in Dundas Bay allow us to do hikes, kayaking and Zodiac cruises, which we can’t do in the main bay under the permit system! So, after breakfast we sent off hikers first, then cruisers, and finally the kayakers to explore different parts of the area. It was an overcast day, but again refused to rain, and we were easily able to do two rounds of each activity, one in the morning, and one after lunch! There were also some great wildlife sightings along the way – many sea otters, harbor porpoise, harbor seals and a very large Alaskan brown bear! We were so lucky to have the chance to explore this incredible park in this way!
7/21/2024
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National Geographic Venture
Chichagof Island and the Inian Islands
We left Sitka last night under a low ceiling of clouds. At daybreak, the sun briefly punched through the clouds, illuminating the snowy peaks and calm waters of western Chichagof Island. The ship cruised into the lustrous scene and anchored in Lisianski Inlet. We dispersed to various beaches for different hikes, to experience the wilderness and introduce ourselves to the temperate rainforest and the Tongass National Forest. The tide was low, and many of the groups were able to admire sea stars and intertidal life in the landing zones. Following brunch, we made our way north to the Inian Islands. However, wind and fog prevented us from safely dropping Zodiacs for tours there. Our expedition leader pivoted, and we set course for a known humpback whale feeding area called Port Adolphus. Along the way, we were sidetracked by a small group of orcas! We pivoted again and tailed the whales at a respectful distance. After about an hour, we set course for the humpbacks, and we were rewarded with active groups of feeding, pectoral slapping, and occasionally breaching whales. The whale action didn’t end there — after dinner, we stopped for bubble-net feeding whales!