At approximately 6:00 a.m. National Geographic Venture stopped by the headquarters of Glacier Bay National Park at Bartlett Cove and picked up Ranger Daniel to spend the day with us. We sailed north toward Russell Island and went through the “Russell Cut” to look for wildlife, where we encountered a mother humpback and her calf. Turning the corner, we found a brown bear on a beach eating barnacles, mussels, and many other creatures found in the intertidal zone. Further north we spent time in front of the Margerie, Ferris, and Grand Pacific Glaciers, and even saw a bit of calving. Heading south, “Gloomy Knob” showcased quite a few goats and another brown bear. South Marble Island is a hotspot for birds, sea lions, and sea otters.
7/23/2024
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National Geographic Quest
Petersburg
This morning National Geographic Quest arrived at the small fishing town and bustling harbor of Petersburg. Petersburg is among the top 20 fishing ports in the United States and walking and biking around the community we could appreciate the charm of the amazing homes along the waterfront. After breakfast we divided into our different groups based on our activities and explored the town by bicycle, walking to a muskeg bog, climbing Petersburg Mountain, or enjoying cultural tours with some of the locals as guides. Every activity was fun and educational. It felt like we were the only tourists in town, and we really got a sense for small town Alaska. After lunch the rain set in and some of us decided to relax on board while others put on rain gear and enjoyed a Zodiac tour around the harbor, walks, or a bike ride around town. Returning to the ship, we had an incredible presentation by a local resident about Tlingit culture before our recap and amazing Dungeness crab dinner that followed. It was another great day in Southeast Alaska.