This morning dawned a surprisingly sunny and gorgeous day as National Geographic Quest made its way south, down Chatham Strait. Sleeping in a little later than normal, guests woke to views of a beautiful waterfall and multiple humpback whales spouting and stirring in search of fish. Picking up Dr. Andy Szabo of the Alaska Whale Foundation, the guests learned about research the foundation does on humpback whale health and the specific culture of bubblenet feeding exhibited by certain species of Alaska’s Southeast. After brunch, National Geographic Quest anchored deep off Kuiu Island’s Saginaw Bay. Guests went ashore to kayak, sightsee by stand-up paddleboard, and hike the island’s terrain. After a day’s worth of exploration, the Global Explorers onboard enjoyed a pizza and movie night while the adults dined and recounted the day’s highlights.
6/14/2025
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National Geographic Quest
Southeast Alaska
On the last full day of our voyage, we woke in Endicott Arm near the Dawes Glacier. We spent the morning enjoying Zodiac tours to the face of Dawes Glacier and watched multiple calving events. We were also able to spot several harbor seals, waterfalls, and a couple harbor porpoises on the way. After lunch we had the opportunity to participate in a polar plunge. Forty people decided to brave the frigid water for a short swim. Those of us not eager to jump into glacier water were able to watch from the bow. After the polar plunge, we warmed up on board as we started transiting towards Juneau. On the way, we stopped at a beautiful waterfall to once again admire the amazing natural beauty of Alaska. During our farewell recap, we were treated to a quick visit by a humpback whale. We ended our day with a slideshow made up of our favorite photos and memories of an amazing week on board National Geographic Quest .
