Today we awoke early in Glacier Bay and gathered on the bow as we approached the Johns Hopkins Glacier. Low clouds and mist moved in and out of the mountains around us and stayed close throughout the day. After breakfast, we found ourselves at Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers at the northernmost end of the bay before we started heading the sixty-five miles south to Bartlett Cove at the park entrance. Along the way, we spotted brown bears, humpback whales, sea otters, and harbor seals. A stop at South Marble Island was a great opportunity for birding, where we got a look at tufted puffins, pelagic cormorants, marbled murrelets, and many others. We finished our day with a post-dinner hike on the trails at Bartlett Cove – a lovely way to end a beautiful experience in the park!
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.