National Geographic Venture sailed south along Chatham Strait on June 14 under partly cloudy skies. The ship entered Kelp Bay on the east side of Baranof Island before breakfast, and guests prepared for a day of adventure in the middle arm of the bay. We split into groups for hikes along the shoreline and Zodiac cruises in the bay. After a spectacular morning with bear, orcas, and deer sightings, we continued south in Chatham Strait to pick up Andy Szabo from the Alaska Whale Foundation. National Geographic Venture continued south along Chatham Strait to enjoy a lecture on humpback whales and a fine dinner with orcas circling the ship.
6/14/2025
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National Geographic Quest
Southeast Alaska
On the last full day of our voyage, we woke in Endicott Arm near the Dawes Glacier. We spent the morning enjoying Zodiac tours to the face of Dawes Glacier and watched multiple calving events. We were also able to spot several harbor seals, waterfalls, and a couple harbor porpoises on the way. After lunch we had the opportunity to participate in a polar plunge. Forty people decided to brave the frigid water for a short swim. Those of us not eager to jump into glacier water were able to watch from the bow. After the polar plunge, we warmed up on board as we started transiting towards Juneau. On the way, we stopped at a beautiful waterfall to once again admire the amazing natural beauty of Alaska. During our farewell recap, we were treated to a quick visit by a humpback whale. We ended our day with a slideshow made up of our favorite photos and memories of an amazing week on board National Geographic Quest .
