Cruise vacations are beloved around the world as they offer a mix of adventure, relaxation, luxury, and a unique all-in-one experience. A record-breaking 35.7 million people, including 2.7 million from the United States, embarked on cruises in 2024. While the most popular cruises visit tropical locales and offer more relaxation than adrenaline, some travelers seek something more exotic. This was the vision of Swedish-American explorer Lars-Eric Lindblad when he founded Lindblad Travel out of Connecticut in 1958.

Lars aimed to allow people to explore remote corners of the world by ship, traveling to lesser-visited regions like Antarctica and the Galápagos Islands. His vision did not gain as much initial traction as other emerging cruise companies. His son, Sven, expanded the business by positioning the company’s cruises as expeditions that incorporated education and research. This approach led to a strategic partnership with the National Geographic Society in 2004. Today, Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic operates a fleet of 22 ships specially designed for luxury expeditions, combining adventure with National Geographic experts who educate passengers about some of the most unique oceanic environments on Earth.

One of these National Geographic experts is naturalist and photographer Eric Guth. Nicknamed the “Ice Man,” Eric joined the team in 2006 as an expert guiding passengers through the Arctic and Antarctic regions. On one of Eric’s most recent tours, he captured incredible drone footage that has since gone viral. He was leading a sightseeing tour aboard a 75-foot wooden research vessel called the MV Catalyst through Alaska’s Inside Passage, a major migratory route for humpback whales. While educating passengers, Eric launched his drone to collect wildlife images from above.

Eric’s drone of choice, the DJI Mavic Pro, is a favorite among professional and amateur photographers alike. Retailing for around $1,500, the Mavic is light, agile, and easy to use, delivering stunning photographic and video capabilities. Through the drone’s camera, Eric noticed something strange about a humpback whale. The crystal clear drone video revealed that the whale was missing its tail fluke. In honor of the vessel from which the footage was captured, Eric nicknamed the whale Catalyst.

Eric and his colleagues believe that Catalyst’s tail injury was likely caused by entanglement in fishing gear. With continued drone observations, researchers noted that Catalyst had traveled approximately 370 miles since its initial sighting, using its pectoral fins for navigation. However, experts remain concerned about Catalyst’s survival, as migration and foraging without a tail fluke present serious challenges.

So far, Eric’s drone video of Catalyst has been seen by millions of people worldwide. The footage underscores the importance of marine conservation, giving the public an up-close view of the threats faced by marine wildlife from human activities, such as ghost fishing gear. Drones are commonly used for observing wildlife, especially in remote or hard-to-reach regions. They provide researchers with vital information about vulnerable species and their habitats. Typically, however, these drone encounters are limited to a small population of researchers and environmentalists.

Novel cruise options such as Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic have made the experience of being a naturalist and explorer, like Eric Guth, a reality for many more people. With the increasing affordability of advanced drone technology, more amateur photographers now have the ability to observe creatures like whales on their own. In many ways, the work being done today by explorers, researchers, and even everyday travelers fulfills Lars-Eric Lindblad’s original vision to bring people face-to-face with the wildest, most remote corners of the planet in a meaningful and responsible way.

Thanks to innovations like drone technology, that vision has not only endured, it has evolved. These tools now allow us to witness and document the fragile beauty of the natural world with unprecedented clarity and reach. As drones extend our eyes into places few can go, they also deepen our connection to the environments Lars once sought to share, reminding us that exploration and conservation can, and must, go hand in hand.

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