Endicott Arm & Ford’s Terror
Our final day of exploring the wilds of Southeast Alaska could not have been more spectacular. Although we awoke to high overcast skies, by mid-morning we had wall-to-wall blue, making perfect conditions for a full day in the small boats. We crossed the “bar”, or terminal moraine, of Endicott Arm at 4:30 a.m., or about an hour after sunrise at this northern latitude. By the time the early risers stepped out on deck, we were well into the fjord, the channel narrowing and the walls steepening with every mile.
Not long before wake-up call we entered the ice. The exceedingly active Dawes Glacier is at the head of this fjord, and we spent our entire morning in its presence. Since the fjord is hundreds of feet deep, the ship remained hove to while we set out to explore by Zodiac. There was floating ice everywhere, ranging in size from a small city building to cocktail ice, all evidence of the near constant calving of this glacier. We scanned the ice with binoculars to see dozens of harbor seal mothers and pups, gathered here for the protection afforded from their principal predator, killer whales. Finally, after maneuvering through the ice, and cruising right beside the fjord walls, we arrived at our destination. Turning off the engines, we sat in silent awe, a mere third of a mile from the face of this immense river of ice. The sounds of small ice cracking and popping and arctic terns calling were punctuated by the occasional sharp cracks of big ice on the move.
For the afternoon, we had the rare opportunity to catch the slack high tide, and take the Zodiacs into the stunning hidden fjord of Ford’s Terror. This narrow channel was named by an 1889 U.S. Naval surveying party after they ran the tidal rapids alongside ice from the glaciers. The clear skies and warm weather made for an incredible afternoon, photographing countless waterfalls and steep, sculpted fjord walls. A large flock of harlequin ducks, in full breeding finery, engaged photographers in several boats, while a couple of brown bears in a distant meadow caught the attention of others. It was a perfect end to a gorgeous day, capping our week of exploring Alaska’s coastal wilderness.
Our final day of exploring the wilds of Southeast Alaska could not have been more spectacular. Although we awoke to high overcast skies, by mid-morning we had wall-to-wall blue, making perfect conditions for a full day in the small boats. We crossed the “bar”, or terminal moraine, of Endicott Arm at 4:30 a.m., or about an hour after sunrise at this northern latitude. By the time the early risers stepped out on deck, we were well into the fjord, the channel narrowing and the walls steepening with every mile.
Not long before wake-up call we entered the ice. The exceedingly active Dawes Glacier is at the head of this fjord, and we spent our entire morning in its presence. Since the fjord is hundreds of feet deep, the ship remained hove to while we set out to explore by Zodiac. There was floating ice everywhere, ranging in size from a small city building to cocktail ice, all evidence of the near constant calving of this glacier. We scanned the ice with binoculars to see dozens of harbor seal mothers and pups, gathered here for the protection afforded from their principal predator, killer whales. Finally, after maneuvering through the ice, and cruising right beside the fjord walls, we arrived at our destination. Turning off the engines, we sat in silent awe, a mere third of a mile from the face of this immense river of ice. The sounds of small ice cracking and popping and arctic terns calling were punctuated by the occasional sharp cracks of big ice on the move.
For the afternoon, we had the rare opportunity to catch the slack high tide, and take the Zodiacs into the stunning hidden fjord of Ford’s Terror. This narrow channel was named by an 1889 U.S. Naval surveying party after they ran the tidal rapids alongside ice from the glaciers. The clear skies and warm weather made for an incredible afternoon, photographing countless waterfalls and steep, sculpted fjord walls. A large flock of harlequin ducks, in full breeding finery, engaged photographers in several boats, while a couple of brown bears in a distant meadow caught the attention of others. It was a perfect end to a gorgeous day, capping our week of exploring Alaska’s coastal wilderness.
