Early this morning as we pulled into the dock at Bartlett Cove as fog covered the dramatic landscape in the distance. Some guests chose to get out and stretch their legs with a hike, and this offered a new look into the forests of Southeast Alaska. After our pre-breakfast activities we started cruising through the park, and the fog lifted to unveil the Fairweather Mountains. This dramatic coastal mountain range goes from sea level to 15,000 feet in just twelve miles. Our afternoon was spent looking for wildlife and watching tidewater glaciers calve into the bay.
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.