Our first day of the voyage dawned bright with our first wildlife sighting of the day, a humpback whale logging near the surface. Those who ventured out of breakfast in time, got a sighting before it disappeared beneath the surface to find its own meal of plankton or forage fish. The rest of the morning was spent in briefings, staff introductions, and how things work aboard the ship, while we cruised northward to our destination at the northern end of Georgia Strait. After lunch we ventured out into Desolation Sound Marine Provincial Park to explore a beautiful wilderness of sheltered bays and islets by Zodiacs, kayaks and paddleboards. A few hardy travelers went ashore to bushwhack their way from cove to cove. Towards the end of the day, we cruised northward to our next destination at Alert Bay, British Columbia.
10/5/2024
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National Geographic Venture
Sucia Island and the San Juans
The day started with a beautiful sunrise over the San Juan Islands. We pulled into Stuart Island early this morning to pick up a guest speaker who informed us about the use of drones in studying whales. We learned how the drones help scientists observe behaviors and determine the health of whales without disturbing them. In the afternoon, we cruised through the northern San Juan Islands and were able to spot harbor seals, Steller sea lions, bald eagles, and many other species of birds. During lunch we anchored at Sucia Island. Sucia is a beautiful horseshoe-shaped island that is a Washington State Marine Park. We spent the afternoon hiking, kayaking, and Zodiac cruising all around Sucia. We were able to observe many species of waterfowl and other birds, seals, and porpoises. After all the activities were completed, we gathered for a bonfire on the beach. We discovered that cocktail hour had come to shore for the evening and there were surprise smores. After gathering back on National Geographic Venture and having our final dinner, we celebrated the trip with the guest slideshow.