It feels as though our entire journey north has been leading up to us witnessing a glacier in all her glory. We’ve been learning to notice the signs of glaciers as we admire the stunning wilderness in the fjords we transit. We went up Tracy Arm today in hopes of seeing an active tidewater glacier. As we made our way farther and farther into the fjord, it became apparent that National Geographic Quest was completely surrounded. There was ice everywhere and of every size. Some pieces were small enough for a cocktail, and others were as large as skyscrapers. We embraced the ice and spent our morning cruising around the beautiful sculptures. Many intrepid explorers made a landing on the beach and even got a taste of some of the ancient ice. It seems the glacier was intent on giving us only a tease at her might, so we will rally north to Glacier Bay National Park in search of a closer look at a tidewater glacier tomorrow. Oh…and some very brave souls took the opportunity to polar plunge in the fjord!
5/8/2024
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National Geographic Quest
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
The alpenglow of the snowcapped Olympic Range wished us good morning and farewell, from the United States to the Canuck welcoming committee of Canadian goose, red and white air dancers, and the verdant capital of British Columbia: The Garden City of Victoria. Crisp, sunny, and clear weather watched over us throughout the day as we rode bikes along the seashore to the world’s tallest freestanding totem pole or strolled through downtown and the historic waterfront on interpretive and gustatory adventures. We let our eyes wander through the foliage and flora of the city’s most-famed and super-secretive gardens. The undersea team took advantage of a slack low tide to explore the world-renowned Ogden Point breakwater just a short walk from the ship. They documented perhaps the most secret garden of the city: Fields of giant plumose anemones— “Anthozoans” or “flower animals” by their phylogeny. Cocktail hour found us enjoying the expansive collection of local and traditional pieces at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria before returning to National Geographic Quest to continue our Pacific North journey. Onward!