Dundas Bay | Glacier Bay National Park, 7/29/2019, National Geographic Sea Lion
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Lion
Alaska
In short, WOW!
Otters, wolves, birds, berries, beauty, bears and blubber! Dundas Bay is an expansive and incredibly rich fjord with several side fjords and a lush sprawling assortment of tidal meadows, mud flats and thick forest. This diversity and abundance of habitats makes Dundas a vital and significant component of this part of Southeast Alaska. We used every means at our disposal to explore this dynamic portion of Glacier Bay National Park – hikes set out from two different locations, kayaks took to the water for a guided paddle of the bay and Zodiacs made their way along the shore and across the bays.
Doug Gualtieri has worked as a Naturalist interpretive guide for over 20 years, beginning his career in Denali National Park and Preserve at a remote wilderness lodge leading hikes and giving lectures on the ecology and wildlife of that region. Later...
Dave grew up in a village in the heart of the rural Finger Lakes region of New York and at an early age fell in love with the outdoors. Dave’s mother, a high school earth science and biology teacher turned weekend hikes into informative lessons. The ...
Early in the morning, National Geographic Venture slowly entered the north entrance of Wrangell Narrows on our approach to Petersburg, Alaska. This small town of around 3,200 residents has a very strong Norwegian connection and is called “The Town that Fish Built!” It is a true Alaskan fishing village with a great heritage. Throughout the day, different activities were offered, including hikes, biking, Zodiac dock tours, and exploring this lovely town on foot.
Southeast Alaska’s rainforest was verdant in the morning rain. Small whitecaps textured the surface of the sea as we searched for marine life. Then, ahead in the distance, a big splash. Then another splash, followed by another. The bridge team expertly moved our ship closer. The young humpback whale had unlimited energy for throwing itself out of the water and flopping back in. We watched this youngster breach over and over until we needed to be on our way. Our next off-vessel excursion was on Baranof Island in Kelp Bay. Bushwhackers and moderate hikers passed along animal trails, climbing through Sitka spruces and western hemlocks. Giant bear’s bread fungus sprouted from downed trees. Delicate flowers, including Jeffrey Shooting Stars, decorated the path. We made our way to the boggy muskeg where few trees survive the wet environment. Streams of snowmelt and raindrops were occasionally blocked by the busy work of beavers. The forest was quiet and warm while hardy Zodiac cruisers toured the shoreline to view waterfalls and gulls hitching a ride on a floating log. Once back on board, we felt the warm comfort of the ship and came to realize that in just a few days, National Geographic Venture has come to feel like home.
A nice morning that only got better and prettier and sunnier! Truly a gift to bring guests here to witness the scale and diversity of ice and wildlife. South Marble Island had so many tufted puffins, and a few unexpected horned puffins, with sea lions and humpback whales galore. During lunch, we cruised up towards Margerie Glacier to view the impressive glacier and look for Arctic terns. Afterwards, we went past Gloomy Knob and saw mountain goats, looked for wildlife at Russel Cut (saw an osprey!), and ended the day with a stunning colorful sunset with an abundance of whales!
