Tracy Arm
Sleeping in was not an option this morning. Gentle thunking noises penetrated the hull of the National Geographic Sea Bird as she carefully maneuvered through glacial ice floating in the blue-green water of Tracy Arm. If the noise did not catch one’s attention, one glimpse of the scenery lured us to the decks. Towering cliffs rose almost vertically from the fiord on both sides of the ship culminating in high rounded ridges once buried by ice. Our route wound inland until the jumbled surface of a glacier appeared.
Following breakfast and a few briefings, we boarded Zodiacs for a closer approach to the South Sawyer Glacier. Growlers, bergy bits, and brash ice surrounded us. Bursting bubbles in the melting ice snapped crackled and popped like Rice Crispies, a sound called ice sizzle or bergy seltzer. The glacier itself rumbled, creaked and thundered as chunks toppled and tumbled into the sea. This fiord is a part of the Tracy Arm - Fords Terror Wilderness within Tongass National Forest. It is protected primarily for the spectacular scenic value, but it also provides habitat for wildlife such as the numerous harbor seals that surfaced nearby or watched us from their frozen resting spots. Wisps of clouds embraced the valley walls and a bit of liquid sunshine dappled the surface of the water. The Zodiacs slowly pushed through the broken ice to return to the cozy warmth of the ship and welcome hot chocolate with peppermint Schnapps.
We relocated a short distance during lunch in readiness for afternoon kayaking. The colorful boats launched from the stern, and paddlers scattered in all directions to inspect bobbing blue growlers, a nearby island and an impressive waterfall cascading from the heights.
When everyone was back on board, the National Geographic Sea Bird motored towards Stephens Passage in anticipation of new adventures after our first full day together.
