Today our intrepid explorers experienced another epic day aboard National Geographic Venture. The day started with the ship navigating through Endicott Arm in favorable sea ice conditions towards the terminal face of Dawes Glacier. Guests encountered several birds and marine mammals as they witnessed the sheer magnificence and power of the glacier. After leaving Endicott Arm, the ship set a course through Stephens Passage, where the sea delighted our explorers with intensely vivid rainbows and numerous humpback whale encounters throughout the evening.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 31 Jul 2022
Endicott Arm and Stephens Passage, Alaska, 7/31/2022, National Geographic Venture
- Aboard the National Geographic Venture
- Alaska
David Huang, Undersea Specialist
David was born and raised in the concrete jungle of New York City, where the only three animals he ever knew were squirrels, pigeons, and rats. His curiosity of the wider natural world was piqued by the occasional trip to the beach, visits to the Bro...
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We started our first full day on board by visiting the Dawes Glacier by Zodiac. As we floated among the growlers and bergy bits, we experienced multiple calving events. We observed many harbor seals with cute, brand-new pups relaxing on the ice. While cruising in the afternoon, we came across a few humpback whales. One humpback hung out close to the ship, lunge feeding and solo bubble netting. Another whale had some fun breaching in the distance, and a third showed off by tail slapping. We ended the day with a great view of Five Finger Lighthouse and look forward to our day in Petersburg tomorrow.
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Our final day here in Southeast Alaska was filled with steep fjords, awe-inspiring glaciers, fierce polar plungers, a number of humpbacks, and a beautiful sunset. As we spent the last day in Zodiacs, driving and adrift amongst the ice in front of Dawes Glacier, we were reminded of how tiny we are on this blue rock that abounds with natural beauty and ecological wonders. As the harbor seals swam by, we celebrated the journey with our shipmates, some partaking in a polar plunge. Then we turned off into the sunset surrounded by the sounds of humpback exhalations. Alaska has been a wonder, and we have been thoughtful visitors in a place fragile yet vast.