Tracy Arm & Fords Terror Wilderness
A soft voice, the siren of sleep, spoke to us in the night, nudging us to the edge of wakefulness. Come outside, she said, the skies are dancing, join us in the magic of the Northern lights. The night sky was wavering and shimmering, illuminated with emerald curtains, punctuated with starlight spangles in the background. For some it may have been a dream, for others, a long sought after encounter with another magical element of Alaska.
The voice came yet again, this time the sun was suspended in a cloudless sky. The invitation was to see a wooly beast walking along the fjord walls that flank South Sawyer glacier. A brown bear, traversing high on the hillside, crossing the remnants of the retreating glacier’s lateral moraine.
After a hearty breakfast, and now fully awake, we took to our Zodiacs. Sawyer glacier was just around the corner and off we went to encourage gravity and hope to witness the birthing of ice bergs, known more properly as calving. Massive icebergs from prior calvings threaten to block our route, but time, tide and sea water had melted a pathway to the face of the glacier. Glacial patience was in order, and it paid off with several occasions of crystal blue ice splashing into the fjord accompanied by squeals of delight and bursts of pixilation by photographers.
This bright sunny day dictated a liberal slathering of sunscreen, and a deck lunch. We enjoyed lunch “al fresco fjord” surrounded by the breathtaking scenery of Tracy Arm Fjord. Fortified once again, it was time for kayaking. Floating and paddling at the base of the sheer cliffs, cascading waterfalls and bobbing bergs were an experience not to be missed. Our kayaks seemed so small in this immense landscape, diminutive dashes of color in a cloudy pool of green.
Each of us is gathering our own collection of precious memories. Here are some shared by our inspired fellow travelers:
Haiku by Sue Hammond
So thin from winter,
The salvation of salmon
Bears at the river
Poem by Sara Barton (age 11)
Today I saw a whale breaching
Before that I saw lots of sea lions
They were so beautiful.
I love Alaska!
Alaska is the only place that I have seen whales and sea otters, the water is so blue and green
But it is so beautiful here.
People all over the world come to Alaska on a cruise to see the wonderful things out there.
There are whales, sea otters, sea lions, flying salmon, all sorts of things.
If I were you, I would go on the Sea Bird, it is the most fun adventure boat in the world.
People from all over the world come to Tracy Arm, it’s where there are a lot of ice bergs and glaciers that calve, it is so beautiful when it falls. The ice is so blue. I love cruises! Go on the Sea Bird, it is so fun!
Steller Sea Lions, July 27, 2009 (by Judy Guard)
Flipping slipping
Through green waters
The younger sea lions play
While seated on their thrones of rock
Placed high along the shore
The older brothers sit and preen
And give a mighty roar!
Poem by Emma Tomlinson (age 10)
Whales breaching all around us
My cousin sitting next to me
Glaciers calving sending of giant ripples
Bald eagles soaring around us
Alaska is amazing
Sea otters playing and swimming in the water
Rolling over and splashing each other
So furry and cute lying on their back
Sea lions searching for fish in the water
Diving into waves with enormous ease
Feasting on herring whenever they please
A brown bear sits at the base of a salmon ladder waiting
A salmon jumps, the bear lunges, ripping it into bite sized pieces
He gulped down the rest of the fish and resumed, waiting for the next salmon.
Poem & ALASKA by Esther Fleischer, age 10
In the kayaks, we
All saw beautiful flowers
Trees, plants and wildlife
In the woods on a bright summer morning
Here in Alaska it can never get boring
Full of surprises, excitement all day
Kayak around glaciers, a whole lot to say.
Plenty to do, plenty to see
A hike full of adventure, everyone happy with glee.
All the wildlife and plants
Luscious, the state’s fish, crab, salmonberries, and flowers
Alluring, seeing three bears catch salmon in a river
Surprising, all of the calving glaciers and animals
Kid friendly, everything, the mountains, the plants, the wildlife
Attractive, the mountains with snow and grass.
Alaska Haikus by Lucy Barton (age 11)
Sitka
Trees surrounding me
Snow covers the mountain tops
A beautiful scene
Alaska Sunset
Sun glints off the clouds
It reflects off the ocean
Ending a great day
Summer Salmon
A happy salmon
Flings itself into the air
Just to dive back in
Sea Otters
Sea otters playing
Splashing in the cold water
Fishing together
Sea Gulls
Flying overhead
Bobbing on the calm ocean
Waiting for the fish
Humpbacks Breaching
Shots out of water
Plops back onto the surface
Making a huge splash
Orcas
Living dominos
Having fun in the ocean
Playing with seaweed
Harbor Seals
Weaving between kelp
Catching lots of little fish
Resting on icebergs
