This week, our field staff sent back a number of beautiful wildlife shots such as bears in Alaska, birds in Galápagos, and musk oxen and arctic hares in the Canadian Arctic.
From a spectacular view of the Northern Lights in Alaska to the colors of Indonesia to a rainbow above Scotland, this week's photos from the field were especially vibrant.
This week, our field staff sent back amazing photos of a stunning performance in Indonesia, Norway's fjords, and one of the rarest birds in the Galápagos.
This morning, killer whales blocked us from securing the ship to the dock in Alert Bay. We welcomed the surprise, and guests hurried from their cabins to witness the sight. The whales did not stay around long, but we were visited by almost every single marine mammal as we departed Alert Bay later in the afternoon. The morning saw guests walking the downtown and heading for the Umitsa Cultural Center and Museum. After an informative visit, we continued up the road to the Big House to celebrate the culture of the First Nations. During lunch, we departed from the dock and were quickly in the company of killer whales, humpback whales, Dall’s porpoises, and Pacific white-sided dolphins. It was an incredible display of surface activity with cetaceans in all directions.
We had an amazing first full day of exploration on the islands. During the morning, we explored the fantastic underwater world of the Galapagos, and it was amazing. We spent the afternoon on the lookout for the stunning waved albatross. We observed so much unique wildlife as we hiked this impressive island. Today was just the start of our extraordinary adventure in the Galapagos Islands!
Today started in the middle of the night with a call from expedition leader Shawn Lucas, gently waking us up to come on deck to see the Northern Lights. The kaleidoscope of colors in the night sky was the first reminder of how small we are on this planet. After clearing customs in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, the ship sailed through the narrow, glacially carved passageways, continuing the theme of how small humans are in this big world. I gave a whale talk in the afternoon, trying to set the stage for the real animals to appear. My trap worked, and the whales showed up just as I finished. We had the rare opportunity to watch not only humpback whales, but also fin whales and an elephant seal. Our sister ship, National Geographic Venture , sailed by just outside of Grenville Channel, giving us a chance to wave at our friends. Feeling small in this beautiful landscape is easy with such amazing scenery and wildlife. Photographers: Amy Venema, Phil Chaon, and Patrick Webster
This morning, National Geographic Sea Bird awoke to dark grey skies in Queen Charlotte Sound on the south end of Hecate Strait. Stretch class was interrupted by a squall, and the devotees decided that hot drinks in the lounge were a better option. After breakfast, we had a few informative presentations en route to our next landing along the coast of B.C. After lunch, we explored Calvert Island, home of the Hakai Institute, an ecological observatory that supports long term observations of the surrounding environment. After a tour of the facility, we crossed the isthmus from our calm, protected anchorage to a beach along the Pacific. A series of white sand beaches and unique bog ecosystems made for an incredible afternoon of discovery. The long walkers wove their way through bog woodland and bog forests and made it to three different beaches and an amazing overlook. Those who visited the Institute got a tour of the grounds followed by a visit to West and North Beaches. Throughout the day, the skies lifted, and we had a picture-perfect bluebird day for exploring the amazing beaches, forests, and bogs of Calvert Island.
Today we started our first full day in the Galapagos. Our guests were excited to spot the very popular Galapagos penguin. Besides the geology and the stunning scenery, this island is home to incredible wildlife. After the hike, we returned to the ship for breakfast before heading out once again to the beach for snorkeling and other fun activities. After an incredible morning, we sailed to Cerro Dragón to observe the stunning Galapagos land iguanas at Dragon Hill. We also spotted shore birds and flamingos. We ended our day with a spectacular sunset. What a great day!