Kitasoo/Xaixais First Nation Territory, 9/15/2023, National Geographic Venture
Aboard the
National Geographic Venture
Alaska
Cruising through the territory of the Kitasoo/Xaixais First Nation People, National Geographic Venture anchored in a bay to prepare for an exciting day. The morning was chock full of activities with kayaking, Zodiac cruising, multiple hike options, and presentations by naturalists Lee Moll and Zoey Greenberg.
In the evening we cruised up to a roaring waterfall while taking in the magnificent views of the surrounding landscape. Low-lying clouds snaked through the mountainside that was covered in lush temperate rainforest, British Columbia’s highlight ecosystem.
Emily proudly grew up in the state of Michigan, doing whatever she could to experience and get to know our natural world. She carries a degree in zoology and public policy and worked in an agroecology lab throughout her time in school. Discovering th...
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This is Erin and Alison (Grosvenor Teacher Fellows) taking over the daily expedition report one last time before we head home. Today on National Geographic Venture , we cruised an inlet along the coastal shores of British Columbia. The morning was spent on Zodiacs. We explored the islands and took a nice, casual walk along the coastal beach. With informative talks by our naturalist throughout our journey, we were excited to implement our new learning in this ecosystem. On Zodiacs, we stopped by one coast and spotted a nurse tree with a Sitka spruce growing from it. A kingfisher perched on top of the spruce and then flew past us with its unique musical call. A harbor seal popped over to say hi as well. As we hiked the shoreline, we found ourselves stepping over fallen driftwood. Taking a closer look, we discovered turkey tail fungus and slime mold growing on the fallen trees. Barnacles and remnants of bull kelp were scattered along the shore. Continuing to walk along the beach, we observed interesting rock formations. We are enthusiastic about science and nature. During our time aboard National Geographic Venture , we found ourselves more informed, more engaged, and more passionate about this beautiful ecosystem. We loved the discoveries we made while immersed in this space, and we incorporated the information provided by naturalists who shared their passion and work with us. We know that visiting this land is a special gift, and we look forward to sharing our newfound knowledge, experience, and connections with our school communities. Text and photographs by Grosvenor Teacher Fellows, Alison Katzko and Erin Schmidt
Today, guests on National Geographic Venture walked in reverential silence through Gitga’at Indigenous territory to an observation platform along a salmon stream. The water was teeming with spawning fish. Other wildlife in the area included Steller’s jays, American dippers, ravens, and a band-tailed pigeon. We were thrilled to see several black bears fishing for salmon, as well as their extremely rare white version known as the Kermode bear. We were extremely fortunate to have experienced such magnificence in the wilds of British Columbia, Canada.
The Grosvenor Teacher Fellows have taken over the daily expedition report! This is Alison and Erin, bringing you the day’s highlights from National Geographic Venture . Throughout the night, we cruised to another remote inlet in British Columbia where we enjoyed the coastal old growth forest by kayaking, paddleboarding, and hiking. On the kayaks, we heard the calls of two kingfishers, and we saw upwards of thirty gulls along the shoreline and the cutest harbor seal popping up his head to check us out. On the hike through the forest, we were amazed by the abundance of bear activity. Usually, hikes are through rugged terrain, but this time we walked along our first evidence of bears — the bear path. The bears did quite a good job at making a path through the thick undergrowth! The next piece of evidence was a large, bluish piece of scat left by the bear. Our knowledgeable naturalist Emily checked it out and suggested the bear had eaten salal and blueberries. She said this was a bit unusual as bears often eat more barnacles, crabs, and fish at this time of year. As we continued along the bear path, climbing over deadfall and thick moss growth, we came across more proof of bear activity — the remains of two salmon. One was licked to the bone, and one was left whole (except for the brain). The final piece of evidence was down in the muddy stream — bear tracks. Our naturalist suggested that this elusive bear was indeed a brown bear since the footprint showed the inside toe aligned with the outside toe. With all this evidence, we knew a brown bear was recently in the area! The afternoon was spent cruising through the islands to look for more signs of wildlife. We spotted humpback whales and a black bear feasting by a waterfall. We are excited to see what tomorrow brings! Text and photographs by Grosvenor Teacher Fellows, Alison Katzko and Erin Schmidt
