Our final day aboard National Geographic Quest began with a cruise through Tracy Arm - Fords Terror Wilderness Area. Our morning destination was South Sawyer Glacier at the end of the fjord. These glaciers shaped the inside passage as we see it today. In a sense, sailing to the terminus takes us back to the beginning. The glaciers and ice we travel through are reminders of nature’s majesty and strength. Awe is inevitable. The team aboard National Geographic Quest pulled out all the stops for this voyage. We concluded the trip with a surprise visit to Five Finger Lighthouse, a fantastic dinner from chef Paul Cotta, and the guest slideshow. Thank you all for a memorable week here in Southeast Alaska.
7/21/2024
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National Geographic Venture
Chichagof Island and the Inian Islands
We left Sitka last night under a low ceiling of clouds. At daybreak, the sun briefly punched through the clouds, illuminating the snowy peaks and calm waters of western Chichagof Island. The ship cruised into the lustrous scene and anchored in Lisianski Inlet. We dispersed to various beaches for different hikes, to experience the wilderness and introduce ourselves to the temperate rainforest and the Tongass National Forest. The tide was low, and many of the groups were able to admire sea stars and intertidal life in the landing zones. Following brunch, we made our way north to the Inian Islands. However, wind and fog prevented us from safely dropping Zodiacs for tours there. Our expedition leader pivoted, and we set course for a known humpback whale feeding area called Port Adolphus. Along the way, we were sidetracked by a small group of orcas! We pivoted again and tailed the whales at a respectful distance. After about an hour, we set course for the humpbacks, and we were rewarded with active groups of feeding, pectoral slapping, and occasionally breaching whales. The whale action didn’t end there — after dinner, we stopped for bubble-net feeding whales!
