Sand Bay & Endicott Arm
The first to venture onto the bow this morning were greeted with the first brisk winds of this unusually warm week in Southeast Alaska. While the temperature had dropped, the skies were still crystal blue with only the occasional wisp of soft clouds. The morning’s adventures began on the western side of Point Astley where we landed at Sand Bay. Those exploring away from shore followed a path not yet worn by human feet, yet apparently frequented by many a different kind of foot. Among the tracks found in the alder and spruce forest were moose, bear, river otter, raven and bald eagle.
As the sun reached the peak of its travels across the sky, the National Geographic Sea Bird lifted its anchor and began its journey further east into Endicott Arm. As we entered this stretch of water, we also entered the Ford’s Terror Wilderness. At the top of Endicott Arm, there is a tidewater glacier named Dawe’s Glacier. The going was smooth to begin with, but as we got closer to the glacier, crew had to keep a close watch for icebergs. Radio activity between deckhands, senior crew and the bridge increased so they could guide us through the more densely ice-packed waters.
Crew and guests alike were also on the lookout for Harbor Seals, which have hauled out onto flat pieces of ice in the fjord to have their pups. We wanted to make sure we stayed far enough away that they would be undisturbed and we could look at them through our binoculars. When the ship had advanced a safe distance, zodiacs disembarked to give guests a closer look at the massive glacier feeding icebergs to the sea.
Endicott Arm afforded a good look at hanging glaciers at the top of U-shaped valleys, the same valley shape created by the retreating tidewater glaciers. The streams of melt water flowing out of these massive piles of compressed snow and ice form more of a V-shaped valley as they travel down hill.
Closer to the glacier, we had many photo-worthy views of cascades, electric blue icebergs, tufts of green brush and the glacier scoured rock walls rising above. On the glacier itself, we got a good look at the dark brown lines of rock and pebbles that the glacier plucks from the valley walls. These strips of rock are called moraines. When the rock is on the valley edges it is still called a lateral moraine, but when two glaciers flow together, they form a medial moraine and a stripe down the glacier, like a trail marking where it has been.
Now on our final full day of the voyage, we sail away from Endicott Arm. We have many great photos, memories and friends to take with us and the ship’s wake leaving a trail behind us.
