Tracy Arm & Williams Cove
As the dawn broke, the National Geographic Sea Lion was making its way up the 24 mile long Tracy Arm. The skies were nearly cloud free and a gentle breeze off the bow greeted the first arrivals on the deck. This incredible fjord carved out by the massive Sawyer Glacier complex during the previous ice age is nearly a mile wide with granite walls towering some 2,000 ft. over the 900 foot depths of aquamarine waters. The cliff walls and steep slopes were accompanied by wild mountain goats. These amazing animals spend their entire lives on these slopes out of harm’s way from predators.
Our first stop as we threaded our way up the fjord through bergie bits was South Sawyer Glacier, the larger of the two remnant glaciers stretched across the horizon, with its glacial blue ice reaching down to the water’s edge. A large field of winter pack ice blocked our progress but from this vantage we could appreciate the unique nature of this environment. Several species of birds had sought shelter on the flat expanse of ice including a flock of Green-winged teals resting from their migratory activity. Arctic terns and three species of gulls were taking advantage of the calm morning as well.
We had passed by the inlet to the fjord holding the other arm of the Sawyer complex earlier in the morning and the decision was made to use the Zodiac crafts to get a more intimate look at this active tidewater glacier. From our anchorage we spotted a massive ice berg at the opening of the fjord. Its crystal blue coloration and erratic outlines beckoned us to get a closer look. Once in the Zodiacs we were soon amongst 100’s of bergie bits and larger ice bergs, evidence of this glacier’s active terminus. Harbor seals could be seen, getting a closer look from time to time as their heads bobbed out of the water. Pigeon Guillemots in small flocks were rafting on the water’s surface. As we approached the snout of the glacier a large block of blue ice calved making the unmistakable sound and producing a sizeable set of rollers that after several minutes gently passed under the boats. As the morning progressed the weather grew more pleasant making sure that most of us were topside to soak in this amazing scene.
The afternoon would be spent in Williams Cove. Situated at the very opening of the Tracy Arm, this cove really emphasized the impacts and effects of glaciation on the landscape. The morning’s exploration deep inside the arm revealed to us the powerful nature of glaciers, wiping clean the rocks, leaving a fresh slate for nature to start anew. Now at the opening of the arm where the glacier’s effects have been long removed, we find a ring of old growth Sitka spruce and hemlock forest.
Large rafts of white-winged and surf scoters could be seen as we readied for our hikes in the temperate rainforest. Many species of song birds were also seen and heard foraging in the Sitka spruce and shrub habitats that form the forest’s perimeter. Leaving the rocky intertidal zone, hikers soon found themselves under the canopy of this magnificent ecosystem. This early in the season the forest understory is relatively clear as the shrubs and herbaceous vegetation have not leafed out yet, leaving the ramparts of massive trunks and the young hemlock trees aglow with the filtered light penetrating the canopy above.
Some of our hikers pushed on to higher ground in hopes of reaching the muskeg habitat situated in a valley above. To their surprise, the winter’s snowfall and ice had not yet melted away from the open expanse of the muskeg forest. A handful of our explorers climbed into the kayaks to get a glimpse of this pristine area from the water’s surface. A pair of curious harbor seals occasionally popped up to see what was going on. We returned to the ship for a lovely meal and a beautiful sunset to end this magnificent day in the land that glaciers shaped.
As the dawn broke, the National Geographic Sea Lion was making its way up the 24 mile long Tracy Arm. The skies were nearly cloud free and a gentle breeze off the bow greeted the first arrivals on the deck. This incredible fjord carved out by the massive Sawyer Glacier complex during the previous ice age is nearly a mile wide with granite walls towering some 2,000 ft. over the 900 foot depths of aquamarine waters. The cliff walls and steep slopes were accompanied by wild mountain goats. These amazing animals spend their entire lives on these slopes out of harm’s way from predators.
Our first stop as we threaded our way up the fjord through bergie bits was South Sawyer Glacier, the larger of the two remnant glaciers stretched across the horizon, with its glacial blue ice reaching down to the water’s edge. A large field of winter pack ice blocked our progress but from this vantage we could appreciate the unique nature of this environment. Several species of birds had sought shelter on the flat expanse of ice including a flock of Green-winged teals resting from their migratory activity. Arctic terns and three species of gulls were taking advantage of the calm morning as well.
We had passed by the inlet to the fjord holding the other arm of the Sawyer complex earlier in the morning and the decision was made to use the Zodiac crafts to get a more intimate look at this active tidewater glacier. From our anchorage we spotted a massive ice berg at the opening of the fjord. Its crystal blue coloration and erratic outlines beckoned us to get a closer look. Once in the Zodiacs we were soon amongst 100’s of bergie bits and larger ice bergs, evidence of this glacier’s active terminus. Harbor seals could be seen, getting a closer look from time to time as their heads bobbed out of the water. Pigeon Guillemots in small flocks were rafting on the water’s surface. As we approached the snout of the glacier a large block of blue ice calved making the unmistakable sound and producing a sizeable set of rollers that after several minutes gently passed under the boats. As the morning progressed the weather grew more pleasant making sure that most of us were topside to soak in this amazing scene.
The afternoon would be spent in Williams Cove. Situated at the very opening of the Tracy Arm, this cove really emphasized the impacts and effects of glaciation on the landscape. The morning’s exploration deep inside the arm revealed to us the powerful nature of glaciers, wiping clean the rocks, leaving a fresh slate for nature to start anew. Now at the opening of the arm where the glacier’s effects have been long removed, we find a ring of old growth Sitka spruce and hemlock forest.
Large rafts of white-winged and surf scoters could be seen as we readied for our hikes in the temperate rainforest. Many species of song birds were also seen and heard foraging in the Sitka spruce and shrub habitats that form the forest’s perimeter. Leaving the rocky intertidal zone, hikers soon found themselves under the canopy of this magnificent ecosystem. This early in the season the forest understory is relatively clear as the shrubs and herbaceous vegetation have not leafed out yet, leaving the ramparts of massive trunks and the young hemlock trees aglow with the filtered light penetrating the canopy above.
Some of our hikers pushed on to higher ground in hopes of reaching the muskeg habitat situated in a valley above. To their surprise, the winter’s snowfall and ice had not yet melted away from the open expanse of the muskeg forest. A handful of our explorers climbed into the kayaks to get a glimpse of this pristine area from the water’s surface. A pair of curious harbor seals occasionally popped up to see what was going on. We returned to the ship for a lovely meal and a beautiful sunset to end this magnificent day in the land that glaciers shaped.
