The day began on a high as National Geographic Venture rounded the entrance of Endicott Arm early this morning — only to find a pod of killer whales headed in the same direction. Two individuals stayed particularly close to the vessel and then surfed behind the ship, lunging out of the face of a distant wake several times. The day continued to be filled with wildlife sightings including several harbor seals, which haul out on the ice to avoid predators (killer whales, bears, and wolves). This population of harbor seals typically has pups around mid-May to June, and today our guests were fortunate to see a new pup not far from Dawes Glacier. The morning was spent exploring the ice by Zodiac and observing spectacular calving events; it was an incredible way to complete this expedition.
6/14/2025
Read
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 .