my week on the ship truly was a life-changing experience. from arrival, every engagement left me with questions both about alaska and the individuals i met. the ship’s naturalists were not only experts in their respective fields, but they showed passion and, in turn, created an exciting environment to be learning about rocks, sea otters, and ice. finally, the interest went both ways, as both the crew and passengers were really interested in the planet forward team and our storyfest entries. 

another highlight of the trip was the experiences lindblad scheduled for the passengers. we were able to pack crusading by the glaciers, kayaking, and hiking into one day — and that was only on day two! my favorite excursion was biking in lutak. i would never have imagined saying i biked 9 miles watching the snowy mountains and the vast oceans in alaska, but now i can!

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editor’s note: lindblad expeditions, our planet forward storyfest competition partner, made this series possible by providing winners with an experiential learning opportunity aboard one of their ships. all editorial content is created independently. we thank lindblad expeditions for their continued support of our project. read all the stories from the expedition in our astonishing alaska series.