National Geographic Sea Bird had a wonderfully smooth ride across the Hecate Strait. A glowing sunrise greeted guests in Queen Charlotte City, and after a early breakfast, we boarded busses and traveled to Old Massett, a Haida community on the northern coast of Graham Island, Haida Gwaii. Guests visited the eclectic studio of legendary Haida artist Jim Hart and were then treated to a tour of Christian White’s carving shed followed by the gift of a traditional mid-day meal and Haida dances at Mr. White’s longhouse.
9/5/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska
“Glacier Bay Day” is a naturalist’s delight, with its beautiful landscapes, plentiful wildlife, and the majesty of the wilderness. I spent much of the day on the bow, scouring my surroundings for creatures great and small with guests, staff, and crew alike. The day began with views of Lamplugh and Johns Hopkins Glaciers, the latter of which provided ample views of calving and harbor seals. As we continued our cruise through the bay, we were treated to glimpses of bald eagles, red throated loons, and harlequin ducks who flew in front of our bow. Terrestrial wildlife had their moment at Gloomy Knob, where well over a dozen mountain goats roamed the cliffside and four brown bears lumbered through the alluvial plains of the park. I considered the day’s highlight to be our evening cruise past South Marble Island. Tufted puffins, common murres, pelagic cormorants, and gulls of various clades took to the skies while sea otters, Steller sea lions, and a lone humpback whale provided an epic aquatic display.
