Glacier Bay National Park, 9/10/2024, National Geographic Quest
Aboard the
National Geographic Quest
Alaska
Today we had a beautiful day in Glacier Bay National Park. The perfect mix of high clouds and sunshine really made the park shine today. Views of the Fairweather Range were seen throughout the day, and we went as far as Johns Hopkins Glacier before turning around and heading south to end the day in Bartlett Cove. It was truly a fantastic day aboard National Geographic Quest!
Nathan Kelley developed his love for nature as a kid at his family’s cabin in Northern Wisconsin. Family fishing trips, camping, hiking and a trip to his first National Park in the Everglades, all vigorously shaped his passion for the natural world. ...
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National Geographic Quest returned to U.S. waters early on the final full day of our expedition. We landed in Friday Harbor, cleared customs, and began adventuring on shore. Some guests visited American Camp, while others strolled through town and visited the Whale Museum. After lunch, the ship repositioned to Cypress Island, where we hiked around and enjoyed glorious weather. After some sentimental goodbyes from our Captain and expedition leader, we witnessed the world premiere of our slideshow, put together by Nathan.
The Hakai Research Institute is a former fishing lodge that was converted to an ecological observatory in 2009. Nestled in beautiful coastal British Columbia, it is surrounded by pristine old-growth forest, white sand beaches, and tidal inlets. A gem of the Pacific Northwest, the Institute invited Lindblad Expeditions and our guests to visit and explore the remarkable ecology of her mountains and shores. National Geographic Quest made her maiden landing at the Institute today, and it was an incredible day. Guests were able to choose from a variety of casual, moderate, and aerobic hikes, traversing through temperate forest, muskeg, beaches, and tide pools along the way. For those interested in marine exploration, Zodiac cruises probed the glacially-carved edges of the island. All were then invited to explore the grounds of the Institute and talk with the directors, who were happy to share their passions and history with us.
A cool, bright morning greeted us in Hanus Bay, with welcome sunshine illuminating a pair of Sitka deer nosing along the shoreline at low tide. We boated ashore, and we offered hikes according to anyone’s preference. Some guests opted for a casual exploration near the landing site, while others chose to take an aerobic jaunt of several miles along the ever-changing forest path; traversing a tidal lagoon, high banks along the river, and a mosaic of forest landscapes up to Lake Eva. Throughout the afternoon we explored the waterways of Chatham and Peril Straits, sighting humpback whales in the distance. For the last evening of this remarkable trip we traversed Sergius Narrows. We carefully timed our transit for slack tide, and during dinner we were accompanied by a brown bear foraging in a shoreside meadow. The voyage slideshow wrapped up a great evening, shared with all our newfound friends and travel companions — what an appreciation we have gained in seeing this incredible coast through so many eyes and perspectives.
