Today National Geographic Venture woke up off stunning Santa Rosa Island in Channel Islands National Park. We took Zodiacs ashore to start our day of adventure. Some guests opted for the long (7+ miles) Torrey Pines hike to the endemic tree groves of the island; others explored the rugged beauty of Cherry Canyon; still others embarked on Zodiac cruises to explore the sea. Some of our hikers were lucky enough to see a breaching humpback whale while high up on a vista viewpoint, while others saw the adorable and elusive island fox. Regardless of what our guests chose to do today, they were rewarded with an incredible time full of rare nature opportunities. This afternoon was spent hiding from the wind on the leeside of Santa Cruz Island; we had some presentations from our on board experts, and enjoyed the “drink of the day” with fun appetizers during cocktail hour.
5/4/2025
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National Geographic Quest
Port of Los Angeles
Last night, after much deliberation by the captain and expedition leader, our ship returned to the Port of Los Angeles to avoid high seas and winds. We made the most of our day in the city by taking advantage of well-crafted excursion. In the morning, many guests enjoyed the Aquarium of the Pacific, while others toured the USS Iowa, and others went for hikes and tidepool adventures near the bluffs of Palos Verde. The highlight of the tidepool adventure was finding an octopus under a rock! We all returned to National Geographic Quest for a very informative presentation by National Geographic Expert in Geology, Kirt Kempter. After lunch, we had another round of options, with a majority of guests visiting the beautiful Huntington Gardens, others learning about the last 45,000 years of fossils found in the La Brea Tar Pits, and plenty of others choosing to hike a challenging trail in Palos Verde. Spirits were high when we set sail towards the Northern Channel Islands after dinner, and all were looking forward to a presentation from Tim Hatler.
