Petersburg, Alaska, 7/29/2024, National Geographic Venture
Aboard the
National Geographic Venture
Alaska
The dense fog lifted as we tied up to the dock in scenic Petersburg this morning. The docks were already bustling with activity as fishermen came and went, working on their fishing gear. Some were preparing to head out to sea, while others were repairing their equipment.
It turned out to be a lovely day with clear skies and warm temperatures. The locals were complaining about the heat, whereas us non-natives were enjoying the 70-degree weather.
Dana was born with a curious nature, which endures to this day. At a very young age she developed a love of wildlife and being outdoors. Although she loves all aspects of nature, it was seeing her first Humpback whale that was the impetus to pursue a...
Enter travel details to receive reports from a single expedition
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Send Daily Expedition Reports to friends and family
*By clicking the submit button, I authorize Lindblad Expeditions to email me; however, I am able to unsubscribe at any time. For more details, see our Privacy Policy.
Please note: All Daily Expedition Reports (DERs) are posted Monday-Friday,
during normal business hours. DERs are written onboard the ship only and do
not apply to land-based portions of expeditions.
As the sun rose, we crossed the bar into Tracy Arm in Fords Terror Wilderness Area. The steep walls and endless waterfalls made for a dramatic scene as we motored toward our destination. We split into two groups, loaded into Zodiacs, and made off for South Sawyer Glacier. We passed by icebergs of all shapes and sizes, and were spied on by curious harbor seals. The face of the glacier was dynamic and thunderous. We were all astounded by powerful calving events, which sent waves our way and put smiles on our faces. And of course, a surprise visit from the cocoa boat was the cherry on top of an awesome visit to South Sawyer Glacier. In the afternoon, we loaded into kayaks and paddled throughout the fjord. We watched pigeon guillemots, marbled murrelets, and harbor seals swim through the milky glacier meltwater. We floated by rushing waterfall after rushing waterfall. The sun poked its head out and we were surprised by the warmth we felt as we paddled next to icebergs. It was an amazing first day of exploring on our journey, and we are all excited about what the rest of the week has in store.
We woke to a misty morning near the entrance of Peril Strait. After breakfast, hiking groups prepared to explore part of Baranof Island with a hike through the Tongass rainforest to Lake Eva. Our hike took us along a beautiful salmon stream where eagles, great blue herons, and kingfishers were feeding. As we walked through areas of old growth forest, lots of fresh droppings reminded us that we were in bear country. All of us on the trail especially enjoyed the grandeur of the trees complemented by the bumper crop of wild blueberries. After lunch, as the ship started making its way through Sergius Narrows toward our final destination, expedition naturalist Alex helped everyone document our trip route on the map. This was a great time to look back at the incredible experiences that we shared over the last week together.
