Ushk Bay greeted us early this morning with beautiful mountainous views. Breathtaking scenery blanketed the landscape as the sun rose high into the sky. We had a minus-six-foot tide which created interesting channels and eddies around our landing site. Sitka black-tailed deer gazed at us curiously as they grazed upon the land before us. Several different hikes were offered to give our guests a customized chance to witness firsthand the beauty all around us. The first hike to leave was a long bushwhack aiming to explore the forest and tidal meadow in the most adventurous way possible. Hikes of a more accessible caliber were also offered to ensure that each guest could see this magnificent place.
The Global Explorers, those under the age of eighteen, were taken on a bushwhack hike of their own. We crawled under logs, hiked through thorny devil’s club, and waded through knee-high water as we became rugged explorers. We found several bear trails that led us to a small salmon stream, which encouraged us to cool off in the water after trudging uphill for a solid hour. It was an incredible experience as the group exclaimed, “The adults cannot be having this much fun!” What a great way to spend our last day on National Geographic Quest. Thank you all for an amazing trip.
