Yesterday in Juneau, we embarked on National Geographic Venture, all abuzz in anticipation of our weeklong exploration of Southeast Alaska. There was general agreement that our prospects for adventure were far more promising than for the thousands of other visitors clambering aboard the mega cruise ships at the docks surrounding us. Indeed, after sailing overnight to Holkham Bay, early in the morning we crossed over the shallow bar, in reality an end moraine deposited by the glaciers that formed the fjord of Tracy Arm. We felt privileged to glide into the wilderness. As we sailed up bay, there were stray icebergs and bergy bits carried by the current in the opposite direction, hints of the glacier up ahead. A mama black bear and her two cubs were investigating the intertidal area, and we paused to watch from a safe distance, hushed so as not to disturb their activities, before moving farther up bay.
9/4/2024
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National Geographic Quest
Kelp Bay and Hidden Falls
It was drizzling a bit as we made our way to the scenic anchorage at Kelp Bay. Through the drizzle, we were excited to see a sow brown bear with her two cubs fishing for salmon in the stream! It was a fantastic start to an amazing day. Our guests went on some beautiful hikes through the dense temperate rainforest, which had the fresh scent of rain and evergreens. One of the hikes led to a muskeg and a huge beaver pond. It was worth the effort to get there. During lunch, we repositioned National Geographic Quest to a bay near Hidden Falls where there is a salmon hatchery. At the hatchery, the air buzzed with activity as brown bears, Steller sea lions, and birds feasted on the salmon schooling at the fish ladder. The massive bears of varying ages and sizes stood poised to strike at the wriggling fish. They snatch their prey in their powerful paws and jaws. This time of year, the bears are hyper focused on feeding, so they can replenish their reserves before their winters sleep. Our viewing of the bears was a thrilling reminder of nature’s raw and untamed beauty.