Sawyer Glacier, Alaska
The last day of our journey north from Washington to Southeast Alaska began with broken clouds as we sailed south in Stephens Passage. The National Geographic Sea Bird passed the low tree-covered slopes of Grand Island around 7:00 am. This rounded island is underlain by a pluton of diorite, which intruded the metamorphic rocks of the Juneau gold belt 90 million years ago.
As we continued south toward Holkham Bay, we were joined by bow riding porpoises as we caught glimpses of blue sky through the clouds. Around 9:00 am, Berit Solstad presented an informative overview of the marine mammals that we have been viewing on our trip.
The NG Sea Bird anchored in the calm waters of Williams Cove at 10:30 am. We split into groups for Zodiac rides in the cove or hikes in the lush forest along the east flank of Snettisham Peninsula. The leaves of Chocolate Lilies, Canadian Dogwood, and Five-Leaved Bramble were just beginning to poke up through the soil near melting snow banks along the shore. The Zodiacs followed the cliffs along the east shore of Williams Cove to view the steep walls of phyllite below Sweetheart Ridge.
After lunch, the ship sailed east into the entrance of Tracy Arm. We made the sharp turn in the fjord and passed from the metamorphic rocks of the Juneau gold belt through the vertical walls of tonalite that are known as the Coast Plutonic Complex sill. These impressive walls of rock were carved by flowing ice that has now retreated east toward the Canadian border and separated into Sawyer and South Sawyer glaciers. During the early afternoon, we joined Elise to learn about the historic importance of fox farming in this part of Alaska.
The NG Sea Bird continued up Tracy Arm past beautiful U-shaped hanging valleys to the tidewater terminus of the glaciers. We spotted numerous mountain goats along the steep sides of the fjord as we sailed eastward. As we approached the rounded rock of Sawyer Island, we were surprised to find a broad sheet of fast ice in front of South Sawyer Glacier. In the distance, we spotted numerous Harbor Seals hauled out on this fast ice. A closer approach to the glacier was not possible, so we turned back toward Sawyer Glacier where we boarded the Zodaics for tours.
The steep walls of the fjord in front of the glacier were bare of vegetation due to recent retreat of the ice. Waterfalls fed fresh water into the water below as we threaded through the deep blue icebergs in front of the ice wall. The fjord walls displayed intricate patterns of light colored molten rock that intruded the dark metamorphic rocks of the lower crust in the Coast Mountains. Our journey west down Tracy Arm was accompanied by the pleasure of cocktails followed by dinner as we sailed north to Juneau.
The last day of our journey north from Washington to Southeast Alaska began with broken clouds as we sailed south in Stephens Passage. The National Geographic Sea Bird passed the low tree-covered slopes of Grand Island around 7:00 am. This rounded island is underlain by a pluton of diorite, which intruded the metamorphic rocks of the Juneau gold belt 90 million years ago.
As we continued south toward Holkham Bay, we were joined by bow riding porpoises as we caught glimpses of blue sky through the clouds. Around 9:00 am, Berit Solstad presented an informative overview of the marine mammals that we have been viewing on our trip.
The NG Sea Bird anchored in the calm waters of Williams Cove at 10:30 am. We split into groups for Zodiac rides in the cove or hikes in the lush forest along the east flank of Snettisham Peninsula. The leaves of Chocolate Lilies, Canadian Dogwood, and Five-Leaved Bramble were just beginning to poke up through the soil near melting snow banks along the shore. The Zodiacs followed the cliffs along the east shore of Williams Cove to view the steep walls of phyllite below Sweetheart Ridge.
After lunch, the ship sailed east into the entrance of Tracy Arm. We made the sharp turn in the fjord and passed from the metamorphic rocks of the Juneau gold belt through the vertical walls of tonalite that are known as the Coast Plutonic Complex sill. These impressive walls of rock were carved by flowing ice that has now retreated east toward the Canadian border and separated into Sawyer and South Sawyer glaciers. During the early afternoon, we joined Elise to learn about the historic importance of fox farming in this part of Alaska.
The NG Sea Bird continued up Tracy Arm past beautiful U-shaped hanging valleys to the tidewater terminus of the glaciers. We spotted numerous mountain goats along the steep sides of the fjord as we sailed eastward. As we approached the rounded rock of Sawyer Island, we were surprised to find a broad sheet of fast ice in front of South Sawyer Glacier. In the distance, we spotted numerous Harbor Seals hauled out on this fast ice. A closer approach to the glacier was not possible, so we turned back toward Sawyer Glacier where we boarded the Zodaics for tours.
The steep walls of the fjord in front of the glacier were bare of vegetation due to recent retreat of the ice. Waterfalls fed fresh water into the water below as we threaded through the deep blue icebergs in front of the ice wall. The fjord walls displayed intricate patterns of light colored molten rock that intruded the dark metamorphic rocks of the lower crust in the Coast Mountains. Our journey west down Tracy Arm was accompanied by the pleasure of cocktails followed by dinner as we sailed north to Juneau.
