LeConte Bay and Petersburg, 5/30/2019, National Geographic Quest
Aboard the
National Geographic Quest
Alaska
When we woke today, we were at the entrance to LeConte Bay. We had an early start exploring the iceberg-filled fjord, offspring of the Leconte Glacier and the southernmost tidewater glacier in the northern hemisphere. After a delicious brunch, we were then off to explore the nearby fishing town of Petersburg. Here many embarked on a flightseeing adventure around the glacial mountains and ventured into the muskeg bog at the nearby Kupreanof Island.
John’s passion is lifelong learning and sharing what he learns about the natural world with explorers young and old. He grew up in rural Ohio and graduated from Marietta College with a BA in Recreation Management. Wanderlust hit when John decided t...
Early in the morning, National Geographic Venture slowly entered the north entrance of Wrangell Narrows on our approach to Petersburg, Alaska. This small town of around 3,200 residents has a very strong Norwegian connection and is called “The Town that Fish Built!” It is a true Alaskan fishing village with a great heritage. Throughout the day, different activities were offered, including hikes, biking, Zodiac dock tours, and exploring this lovely town on foot.
Southeast Alaska’s rainforest was verdant in the morning rain. Small whitecaps textured the surface of the sea as we searched for marine life. Then, ahead in the distance, a big splash. Then another splash, followed by another. The bridge team expertly moved our ship closer. The young humpback whale had unlimited energy for throwing itself out of the water and flopping back in. We watched this youngster breach over and over until we needed to be on our way. Our next off-vessel excursion was on Baranof Island in Kelp Bay. Bushwhackers and moderate hikers passed along animal trails, climbing through Sitka spruces and western hemlocks. Giant bear’s bread fungus sprouted from downed trees. Delicate flowers, including Jeffrey Shooting Stars, decorated the path. We made our way to the boggy muskeg where few trees survive the wet environment. Streams of snowmelt and raindrops were occasionally blocked by the busy work of beavers. The forest was quiet and warm while hardy Zodiac cruisers toured the shoreline to view waterfalls and gulls hitching a ride on a floating log. Once back on board, we felt the warm comfort of the ship and came to realize that in just a few days, National Geographic Venture has come to feel like home.
A nice morning that only got better and prettier and sunnier! Truly a gift to bring guests here to witness the scale and diversity of ice and wildlife. South Marble Island had so many tufted puffins, and a few unexpected horned puffins, with sea lions and humpback whales galore. During lunch, we cruised up towards Margerie Glacier to view the impressive glacier and look for Arctic terns. Afterwards, we went past Gloomy Knob and saw mountain goats, looked for wildlife at Russel Cut (saw an osprey!), and ended the day with a stunning colorful sunset with an abundance of whales!
