Today is Petersburg day!! This is always a crowd favorite. Guests today had a plethora of choices for activities. From a forest/muskeg hike to a bike ride through and around town — some guests relaxed on the ship and then walked into town and explored. There were morning and afternoon choices, so you could do as much or as little as you would like. The weather was perfect — not too hot and not too cold, just right. Tonight was our crab feast, and what a feast it was! The crab was so fresh the meat just pulled right out of the shell. We closed the day being spoiled with a magical sunset of pinks and oranges — the sky looked like she was on fire. Lastly, we saw a small group of humpback whales spouting in the distance as we made our way toward tomorrow’s adventures.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 13 Jun 2024
Petersburg, Southeast Alaska, 6/13/2024, National Geographic Venture
- Aboard the National Geographic Venture
- Alaska
Kimberly Wood, Staff
Kimberly A. Wood is a Hawaii based international marine researcher, photographer, filmmaker, boat captain and educator. Her research focus is often based in population distribution, diversity and habitat usage of cetacean species, however, she has al...
Read MoreShare Report
Alaska's Inside Passage
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
5/28/2025
Read
National Geographic Venture
Kelp Bay
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.
5/27/2025
Read
National Geographic Quest
Glacier Bay National Park
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!