Just after midnight, in the first minutes of the day, guests rose from their sleep to witness an amazing phenomenon, the Aurora Borealis. A bright moon, stars and the Milky Way added to the show. After dawn, at breakfast, we cruised into the north arm of Holkham Bay. Tracy Arm is a majestic, jade-watered fjord home to Sawyer and South Sawyer Glaciers. Dense rock resisted erosion and created the steep sides and deep water of this fjord. Near the face of South Sawyer Glacier, harbor seals peppered the floating ice. We cruised the northern extension of the fjord towards Sawyer Glacier, then back out into Chatham Strait in hopes of more wildlife.
9/3/2022
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National Geographic Quest
Ushk Bay and Peril Strait
National Geographic Quest arose amidst light clouds within the protected waters of Ushk Bay. This area is known for a salmon stream and yields plenty of opportunity for kayaking and exploring the vast meadows of its inner waterways. On this day’s occasion, guests were able to hike and paddle their way along the coast of Ushk Bay and witness firsthand the life cycle of Pacific salmon making their way upstream. As we transited through Peril Strait, we were lucky to see humpback whales. These immense mammals were “lunge feeding” very near our ship. Being able to witness this event was unique for guests and staff. Lunge feeding is process through which individual whales push their gaping mouths through the surface and collect any fish or planktonic invertebrates in the process. Witnessing this behavior was truly a remarkable experience for all. We will cherish this moment for a lifetime.
