As we have continued our journey through the Channel Islands National Park, we have discovered the unique story that each island here has to offer. Today we sailed towards the islands of Santa Rosa and San Miguel, the westernmost islands of the National Parks. Our morning began on Santa Rosa, the third largest of the islands with a rich history in both ranching and archaeology. Guests landed along the dramatic sandstone cliff faces that line the beach here to explore the hiking the island has to offer. Some took an adventurous hike to the rare Torrey Pines that grow only on Santa Rosa and near San Diego while others ventured into Cherry Canyon to learn about the diverse mosaic of native plants that have colonized and evolved over time. With some extra time, we were also able to paddle and swim before returning to the ship for lunch. Later in the day we continued our journey westward towards the island of San Miguel. This island is notoriously difficult to approach because it lies closest to the open Pacific Ocean and is exposed to extreme ocean swell. Luckily, for us, the conditions were calm and allowed us to sail close to the shoreline. We got close enough to see the spectacle that this island has to offer – hundreds of pinnipeds hauled out on the sandy beaches. northern elephant seals, California sea lions, and harbors seas utilize these isolated beaches as resting spots and mating colonies throughout the year. Together, these two islands added to the powerful story of isolation and conservation that the Channel Islands continue to tell us.
10/29/2022
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Hells Canyon
Our morning began alongside the dock in our final port of Clarkston, Washington with a glowing sky and flocks of migrating waterfowl inscribing Vs through the air. After breakfast, guests boarded 34-foot-long jet boats for an excursion along the Snake River to its confluence with the Salmon River, fondly known as the River of No Return. Along our journey we saw bighorn sheep, great blue herons, common mergansers, belted kingfishers, Canada geese, petroglyphs, wild turkeys, columnar basalt, swimming mule deer, and a bald eagle flying with a large salmon. We also enjoyed fortuitous timing and witnessed a fisherman hook an eight-foot-long sturgeon. After a long battle, he finally pulled it to the shallows for his whole family (and us) to see. As evening approached, we settled into the lounge for our final series of educational talks, featuring Nez Perce storyteller James Spencer and winemaker Coco Umiker, both of whom illuminated important contexts of the beautiful basin. Following our wine tasting with Coco, guests set off for their final on-board dinner. After dinner, we bid farewell through photos. Our photo instructor showcased a mosaic of moments from the week, otherwise known as the Guest Slideshow. Included in the slideshow were praying mantises, birds of prey, sunsets, and staff members being goofy, as per usual. We couldn’t be more grateful for our time together, all of us, during this last week of October 2022.