Last night we departed from Juneau on a 7-day voyage to Sitka. The first day of our exploration of Tlingit Aani (the homeland of the Tlingit people) was spent hiking on northern Chichagof Island and Zodiac cruising in the Inian Islands. At Port Althorp we explored the fascinating intertidal zone (moon jellies next to the bear and deer prints!) and the temperate rainforest. The sea lions of the Inian Islands area were actively fishing as the tide was rising, the rich ocean environment and entire food web of the area on display for us. In the evening, all our expectations were literally blown out of the water by a spectacular bubble-net-feeding, tail-flapping, breaching humpback whale extravaganza, with a gorgeous sunset developing on the opposite side.
6/14/2025
Read
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 .