At 6 o’clock this morning, we woke to a magnificent scene—Margerie Glacier one quarter of a mile ahead of the ship, and the Grand Pacific Glacier off our starboard side. We stood on the bow holding warm cups of coffee, gazing at the masses of ice before us. George Vancouver had mapped the region in 1791, but he missed this bay for good reason—it didn’t yet exist. At that time, the Grand Pacific Glacier extended 65 miles further south. Since then the massive glacier has retreated, and now there is a fresh landscape of U-shaped valleys, rounded mountains, polished rock walls, streams, and alluvial fans. Plant life returns, but slowly, and in stages: first there are lichens, then a succession of pioneer plants, alders, and eventually spruce trees. We saw brown bears near the water and mountain goats grazing on high alpine meadows. Marine birds were abundant today: kittiwakes, glaucous-winged gulls, common murres, tufted puffins, pelagic cormorants, and thousands of scoters. Sea otters surfaced near the ship, harbor seals rested on bergy bits, and Steller sea lions grumbled at one another as they crowded on small rock ledges. Glacier Bay is a raw and beautiful landscape, and a habitat that is still evolving as ice continues to retreat.
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 .