We began our first full day aboard National Geographic Venture by sailing through beautiful Holkham Bay into Endicott Arm. This narrow fjord southeast of Juneau is marked by cascading waterfalls and breathtaking indicators of glaciation and ecological succession. The icebergs, bergy bits, and turquoise, glacial silt-fed waters of the fjord sparkled in the unexpectedly bright sun as we spent our morning navigating towards Dawes Glacier. We received basic mandatory training on hiking in bear country and safely loading Zodiacs and kayaks, and we were introduced to our Expedition Team. We spent the rest of our morning and early afternoon in Zodiacs, exploring the fjord and the towering, active Dawes Glacier! Throughout the journey, we spied curious harbour seals, watched glaucous-winged gulls forage, heard the rumbling of calving ice off the tidewater glacier, and found our Zodiacs boarded by benevolent Vikings! Guests warmed up after their time on the water with hot cocoa and a hearty lunch of chili. We spent late afternoon preparing for a day in Petersburg tomorrow, and we learned new photography skills from our certified photo instructor. After a lively cocktail hour, recap, and dinner, we ended our night by watching Petersburg: The Town that Fish Built in preparation for an exciting and packed day in Petersburg.
7/18/2024
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National Geographic Venture
Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay National Park is one of the jewels in the crown of the United States National Park Service and there is no better way to see its incredible landscapes than from a capable and comfortable expedition ship like National Geographic Venture . We had the pleasure of Park Ranger Allie joining us onboard for the day to share her knowledge of the park with a formal presentation in the lounge and through informal chats with guests on the bow. Allie told us that 700,000 visitors made it to the park last year and 90% of those came by ship. In answer to the question, “Is it ok for so many ships to be visiting such a pristine place?” she said, “Without ships as a means to access this area, all of these people would be denied an opportunity to learn about an important wilderness environment that has been set aside and protected for the people of the United States to enjoy”. During our full day sailing in the bay, we patiently watched the glacial faces for calving events, scanned the coastline with binoculars for rocks that moved (i.e. bears!), and smiled as we passed small rafts of cute otters swimming by. It was another fabulous day in Southeast Alaska.