The morning aboard National Geographic Sea Lion brought serene cruising through the islands off Alert Bay. We were privileged to encounter local cetaceans and spend our afternoon deepening our cultural connections. A heartfelt thank you to the U’Mista Museum and Cultural Centre, wood carver Wayne Alfred, and the T’sasala Cultural Group for enriching our expedition with their art and heritage.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 23 Sep 2024
Alert Bay, 9/23/2024, National Geographic Sea Lion
- Aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion
- Alaska
Shannon Malone, Naturalist
Growing up along the coastal environment of San Diego, Shannon started her first volunteer job at a local nature center at the age of six. Since then, she has built her personal life and professional career around connecting with nature. She received...
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Voyage to Alaska, British Columbia and Haida Gwaii
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4/22/2025
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Daajing Giids, Haida Gwaii
Today, National Geographic Sea Lion docked in Daajing Giids and then drove up to Old Masset to visit two Haida master carvers. The luscious smell of cedar was powerful in the carving sheds of both artists. Each carver’s creative space was filled with many projects “in the works”. We were feasted with a traditional meal in the Canoe House that was delicious. After our meal, there were two stores to visit which had Haida art, jewelry, and so much more. We really enjoyed commemorating our time in Haida Gwaii with a treasured purchase or two.
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Haida Gwaii
Our night was spent traveling south along the Haida Gwaii Archipelago, making our way to our morning destination of SGang Gwaay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Designated by UNESCO for its importance of being the oldest known Indigenous village where mortuary and memorial poles stand in situ. They were carved and erected in the 1800s in the village of SGang Gwaay Linagaay, representing one of the best examples of a traditional northwest coast First Nations village. SGang Gwaay is located on the southwestern tip of the Haida Gwaii Archipelago, creating quite a difficult place for travelers to reach. The village is in an extremely protected bay where adverse weather is otherwise a constant. Our day was spent being escorted by Haida Watchmen through standing poles, house pits, and standing posts and beams of longhouses. Our group was divided into four groups, and each group had a chance to walk along a boardwalk through the forest and then come into the village to not only see and photograph the site but also take a moment to just be quiet and absorb the presence of the handcrafted carved poles and the presence of the ancestors.