We had an incredible day exploring Southeast Alaska, starting with Peril Strait. As we cruised along the narrow passage, we saw a plethora of bald eagles hunting for fish. We watched at least seven eagles soaring and diving for food as we sailed through Chatham Strait. Guests were excited to see a coastal brown bear foraging on the shoreline. We brought out the scope and headed out to the bow to enjoy watching this bear look for food. After lunch, we went ashore. Some guests took an exploratory hike, some combed the beach, and some enjoyed a Zodiac cruise, where they were treated to views of a gray whale. As if things couldn’t get any better, we were interrupted by a huge group of humpback whales bubble-net feeding as we ate dinner. We were treated to a show of tremendous power and strength. While watching the bubble-net feeding, two more coastal brown bears appeared on the shoreline. Guests had the option of watching whales feed to the right of the boat or brown bears foraging to the left, which turned out to be a very hard decision.
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 .