This, our last full day aboard National Geographic Venture, was certainly not the least. We awoke and were immediately greeted by the steep, glacially carved walls and abundant waterfalls of Tracy Arm, in the Fords Terror Wilderness Area. We split into two groups, loaded into Zodiacs, and set off toward the face of South Sawyer Glacier. Navigating around blue and white icebergs of all shapes and sizes, we enjoyed close vantage points; we listened to the low thunder of calving ice and spotted harbor seals hauled out in the distance.
In the afternoon we searched for wildlife from the ship, and boy did we find it! Two groups of resident killer whales — perhaps 15 animals in total — swam alongside the ship for hours, eventually becoming one group. We saw more than 20 humpback whales fluking, diving, and swimming alongside National Geographic Venture. It was truly a spectacular ending to an amazing trip.
