As the sun rose over Admiralty Island, National Geographic Venture slowly cruised along Chatham Strait looking for wildlife. We saw numerous individual whales, pairs, and cow/calf pairs! Eventually the National Geographic Venture slowly approached our afternoon landing site, Lake Eva. This well-groomed trail along a very active salmon spawning stream is one of our favorite hikes in Southeast Alaska. Not only were there plenty of spawning salmon, but we ended up seeing a mom with two cubs catching their lunch near a small waterfall in this productive stream! In total, there were eight bears sighted during our stay. We kayaked, paddle boarded, and hiked in this spectacular environment. Under blue skies, we ended the day with an invigorating “Polar Plunge” into the Alaskan waters.
9/4/2024
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National Geographic Quest
Kelp Bay and Hidden Falls
It was drizzling a bit as we made our way to the scenic anchorage at Kelp Bay. Through the drizzle, we were excited to see a sow brown bear with her two cubs fishing for salmon in the stream! It was a fantastic start to an amazing day. Our guests went on some beautiful hikes through the dense temperate rainforest, which had the fresh scent of rain and evergreens. One of the hikes led to a muskeg and a huge beaver pond. It was worth the effort to get there. During lunch, we repositioned National Geographic Quest to a bay near Hidden Falls where there is a salmon hatchery. At the hatchery, the air buzzed with activity as brown bears, Steller sea lions, and birds feasted on the salmon schooling at the fish ladder. The massive bears of varying ages and sizes stood poised to strike at the wriggling fish. They snatch their prey in their powerful paws and jaws. This time of year, the bears are hyper focused on feeding, so they can replenish their reserves before their winters sleep. Our viewing of the bears was a thrilling reminder of nature’s raw and untamed beauty.