Day one of Exploring Alaska’s Coastal Wilderness on National Geographic Quest proved to be a very wet and windy adventure. After traversing Sergius Narrows in the morning and listening to all required safety briefings, guests aboard looked forward to an afternoon of kayaking and hiking. Mother nature had other intentions, and the wind and rain picked up as we made our way to Lake Eva. Hikers assigned to round one made it ashore for their first encounter in the Tongass National Rainforest. Conditions worsened by round two, and the call was made to stay aboard the ship. Today, the temperate rainforest lived up to its name.
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 .