One week into the trip, National Geographic Quest continued north through the Wright Sound as guests emerged from their cabins early in hopes of special wildlife sightings. Fingers were crossed for spirit bears, since this area is particularly known for the high concentration of them. After breakfast with the help of everyone aboard including crew and guests, we finally spotted a bear right along the rocky coastline providing ample opportunity for viewing. With all the excitement of finally spotting a large mammal after hours of searching, no one was disappointed to see that the bear had black fur instead of white. All cameras were out and clicking away as the bear glanced to check out its surroundings. Without being phased, the bear continued to forage for whatever it could find, and we eventually set off.
The afternoon was spent exploring Klewnuggit Inlet. Two rounds of activities were given with options for kayak and Zodiac cruises. Harbor seals, seabirds, and a couple of mink sightings made for productive excursions. At the top of the inlet there was a beautiful flowing stream that is sometimes home to salmon. This might explain the schools of a thousand fish or more, swimming around the inlet. With today being a full moon, this allowed for the maximum difference in tidal fluctuation at almost 20 feet!
Others chose to join our undersea specialist James in a microplastic tow around the area. This followed a presentation from earlier in the day titled, “The Miracle Turned Monster – Ocean Plastics.” He touched on how microplastics pollute and affect our planet, our food, and what we can do to create change. After patiently waiting during the tow, the net was gathered to observe what was collected and luckily, there were no microplastics found in the area.
We all embarked after our adventures and headed north, to Alaska after a successful last day in Canada’s waters.
