In the early morning, guests set out to shore to stand by a waterfall known for its gifts of salmon. The late summer run of these majestic fish all but guarantees that the brown bears in the area will come to feast, and so they did. A lively pair arrived. They splashed in the shallows and searched for fish to fatten up for the cold Alaskan winter as they entertained our guests with their antics. Leaving the bears to the hunt, we set out in the afternoon in search of more feeding adventures but this time with a larger mammal in mind. We were not disappointed and found a host of humpback whales bubble-netting in unison to scoop up a bounty of herring.
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 .