We rose early aboard National Geographic Venture to watch killer whales that made a sudden appearance off the bow of our ship as we traveled slowly north to Kelp Bay, our destination for the afternoon’s activities. We spent the first half of the day on hikes and photography sessions to one of the large beaver lakes on the island, and we reflected and perfected our photography skills. Returning to the landing beach we were given a choice of kayaking or stand up paddleboarding, all the while enjoying a day of sunny skies and perfect still waters. As the day ended we cruised for wildlife, encountering a number of humpback whales solo feeding in the deep waters of Chatham Strait.
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.
