Vancouver Island, 9/10/2019, National Geographic Quest
Aboard the
National Geographic Quest
Alaska
After a late showing of “The Princess Bride” last night (oddly, many aboard seemed to know most of the words!) we had a very leisurely morning on National Geographic Quest today with a sumptuous brunch on offer as we cruised south along the east coast of Vancouver Island. In the afternoon we disembarked for walks on Wallace Island.
Andrew was born in Adelaide, South Australia and (mis)spent his youth surfing and kayaking in the ocean, as is the case for many Aussies! After graduating from medical school, he spent a year working as a surgical resident in Santa Barbara, Californi...
National Geographic Quest dropped anchor just after breakfast at Hanus Bay in Peril Strait. Not far behind the thick forest that welcomed us at the beach, was a beautiful lagoon with a large stream leading up to Lake Eva. Every level of hiker was able to enjoy the beauty of the flowing water and varied bird life. An ambitious few made it a mile in, halfway through the temperate rain forest to Lake Eva. There, we were able to take in the stunning views among the 500-year-old hemlocks and spruce, the largest trees of our trip by far. After the hikes, it was time for our final sail to Sitka. On our way, we had a surprising final farewell from some grey whales. A rather improbable sighting that capped off an amazing trip.
As we made our way out of Glacier Bay, we turned towards the mouth of the Inside Passage to take in the splendor of the Icy Strait. First, we Zodiac cruised around the Inian Islands, one of the most spectacular cruises in Southeast Alaska. Then we turned into Port Althorp where we made landfall to hike and kayak in the protected arm outside the massive tidal swings.
Glacier Bay National Park pulled out all the stops for the guests of National Geographic Quest today. We started our day with four brown bears before enjoying a fantastic brunch. As the day went on, we were treated with calving glaciers, fantastic terns, brilliantly sunny skies for a watercolor workshop on the sun deck, and more animals than we could count. 10/10 expedition day!
