LeConte Glacier has an uncanny ability to produce larger than life icebergs in every shade of blue the eye can see. This morning we took to Zodiacs to get a closer look at these towering behemoths and test out our newly acquired photography skills. Often called the iceberg museum, LeConte Bay did not disappoint us with its countless bergs and active sea life. From there we popped across the way to Petersburg, the town that salmon built. We spent the afternoon exploring the muskeg, biking the beaches, and cruising with the salmon boats. While in town, we bought a feast of locally caught Dungeness crabs, and proceeded to have a delicious (albeit messy) dinner.
5/29/2023
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National Geographic Venture
Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay National Park is the ancestral homeland of the Huna Tlingit clans. Covering over three million acres of land, this striking environment lends itself well to discussions about primary succession, a characteristic of temperate rainforests and glaciation. National Geographic Venture started its day with hikes and photography instruction around Bartlett Cove. The ship’s naturalists discussed various aspects of primary succession and temperate rainforests while finding baneberry, fiddleheads, and morel mushrooms. The hikes ended with observing the preserved skeleton of a whale named Snow, a humpback whale killed by a ship strike in 2001. Once all crew and guests were on board, the ship ventured farther into Glacier Bay National Park. Along the way, we observed incredible sightings of humpback whales, Steller sea lions, sea otters, tufted puffins, bald eagles, and a variety of other animals. Farther north, we passed by Gloomy Knob where guests and staff spotted mountain goats whose white fur contrasted well with the dark rocky habitat. Finally, guests and staff celebrated the end of another magical day in Southeast Alaska with cocktail hour while viewing Margerie Glacier calving. The incredible landscape of Southeast Alaska, and particularly Glacier Bay, is an awe-inspiring world that lends itself to exploration and conservation.
