Our day started a bit earlier than usual with a 12:45 a.m. wake-up call to view the aurora borealis. Fighting the chill of the night air, our guests crowded the bow of the ship to view the green and purple streaks of the Northern Lights; they remained until the sun began to rise sometime after 1:00 a.m. Later, after a bit more sleep, we enjoyed breakfast as the ship came into dock. A day in Petersburg gives our guests the opportunity to hike, view a muskeg, ride bikes, and take in the local culture. By a stroke of luck, we happened to arrive while the town was in the full swing of its Little Norway Festival. There was a sweater modeling competition, celebratory exhibits displaying local art in all the shops, and Vikings dancing with townspeople in a parade. By the way, there was also a black bear in full view during lunch!
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 16 May 2024
Petersburg, 5/16/2024, National Geographic Venture
- Aboard the National Geographic Venture
- Alaska
Luke Manson, Naturalist
Growing up as a farm kid in the tiny town of Tonganoxie, Kansas, Luke Manson always felt a strong connection to nature. An avid traveler and hiker, he began his true passion of exploring the world’s oceans in the Columbian village of Taganga in 2011....
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