Beginning with a shore visit at the classic launching point, Bartlett Cove, National Geographic Venture spent today exploring the epic scenery of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. The epic fjord system was carved by a rapidly advancing glacier in the traditional home of the Hoona Tlingit people. When the first European explorers reached the area, the glacier was at its maximum, extending all the way into Icy Strait. Two hundred years later, the ice has retreated over sixty miles and left in its place an immense body of water, home to a massive diversity and abundance of animal and plant life.
9/4/2024
Read
National Geographic Quest
Kelp Bay and Hidden Falls
It was drizzling a bit as we made our way to the scenic anchorage at Kelp Bay. Through the drizzle, we were excited to see a sow brown bear with her two cubs fishing for salmon in the stream! It was a fantastic start to an amazing day. Our guests went on some beautiful hikes through the dense temperate rainforest, which had the fresh scent of rain and evergreens. One of the hikes led to a muskeg and a huge beaver pond. It was worth the effort to get there. During lunch, we repositioned National Geographic Quest to a bay near Hidden Falls where there is a salmon hatchery. At the hatchery, the air buzzed with activity as brown bears, Steller sea lions, and birds feasted on the salmon schooling at the fish ladder. The massive bears of varying ages and sizes stood poised to strike at the wriggling fish. They snatch their prey in their powerful paws and jaws. This time of year, the bears are hyper focused on feeding, so they can replenish their reserves before their winters sleep. Our viewing of the bears was a thrilling reminder of nature’s raw and untamed beauty.