After an action packed few days on National Geographic Venture, a morning cruising for wildlife was just what the doctor ordered. Before breakfast, we saw our very first brown bear of the trip. As we continued south, we stopped to watch a couple of humpback whales in transit and then a delightful black bear that stayed in view until we had to leave for our next location. In the breathtaking glacial fjord that is Green Inlet, we received permission from the local indigenous people to explore the area by Zodiac and by kayak. The shear rock cliffs that drop straight into the blue water are simply awe inspiring. We were also lucky enough to have perfect weather for such an event.
9/22/2024
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National Geographic Venture
Green Inlet
Our last day in the Great Bear Rainforest proved to be one full of excitement, education, and awe. After dropping anchor in the idyllic glacial fjord of Green Inlet, we set out to explore the rocky shoreline and forested granitic fjord walls. The dense fog gradually turned into a wispy mist, which exposed different peaks and valleys of the forest as it moved through. We took turns kayaking through a delightful cove that was loaded with ochre sea stars, rockweed, and blue mussels so thick and dense that the rock they were attached to was hardly visible between them. A river otter scurried along the shore and bald eagles soared above us. From the Zodiacs we visited nearly a dozen thunderous waterfalls that were running hard and fast from the heavy overnight rains. We observed harbor seals observing us back; they were quietly periscoping their furry heads up and out of the water as we approached the rapids where they were hunting salmon making their final journeys upriver to spawn. Upon our return to National Geographic Venture , expedition diver Nick Brown shared his extensive underwater video footage from the area. His presentation was interrupted, of course, by whale sightings, which we rushed onto the bow to appreciate.
