We woke up anchored near the southern end of Wallace Island, a three-mile-long, half-mile-wide body of land in the Gulf Island archipelago. It was a beautiful, sunny, and calm day, perfect for hiking and kayaking, our chosen activities for the day. After lunch, we encountered a pod of orca whales. Some guests watched from the bow of the ship, and others watched from Zodiacs that followed the whales through Active Pass into the Strait of Georgia.
5/11/2024
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National Geographic Quest
Calvert Island
The Hakai Research Institute is a former fishing lodge that was converted to an ecological observatory in 2009. Nestled in beautiful coastal British Columbia, it is surrounded by pristine old-growth forest, white sand beaches, and tidal inlets. A gem of the Pacific Northwest, the Institute invited Lindblad Expeditions and our guests to visit and explore the remarkable ecology of her mountains and shores. National Geographic Quest made her maiden landing at the Institute today, and it was an incredible day. Guests were able to choose from a variety of casual, moderate, and aerobic hikes, traversing through temperate forest, muskeg, beaches, and tide pools along the way. For those interested in marine exploration, Zodiac cruises probed the glacially-carved edges of the island. All were then invited to explore the grounds of the Institute and talk with the directors, who were happy to share their passions and history with us.