Today we cruised through Chatham Strait, again in search of whales. We were delighted to see a few humpback whales waving hello with their large spotted flukes. In the afternoon, we went on various hikes to explore Lake Eva and its flowing salmon streams. Deep hues of golden browns were seen from the tannins leaching into the water from the surrounding vegetation. Wildlife was brimming both above and below the sea’s surface today. During dinner, we encountered a pod of killer whales and so we kept pace at about six knots in order to get some spectacularly close views! Double spy hops were highlights as two younger whales ballooned their upper bodies above the water perpendicularly. The moon came out as the mountainous seascape painted swashes of indigo and lavender.
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 .