In the early hours, National Geographic Venture made its way through Chatham Strait, turned into Peril Strait, and settled in Ushk Bay for the day’s activities. Massive smacks (groups) of jellyfish were observed in the clear sea water as everyone approached the shore in Zodiacs. Various levels and lengths of hikes took off over the tidal flats and many also spent time in the forest. Others chose to partake in kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding. After lunch onboard, the Global Explorers learned how to drive Zodiacs and then everyone who wanted to take the Alaska Plunge jumped into Ushk Bay. The ship sailed through Sergius Narrows on the way to our final destination, Sitka.
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!