Tracy Arm & Williams Cove
Another brilliantly sunny day greeted us. After being woken up by the feeling of ice chunks bumping against the hull of the ship we saw that Captain Sinclair was skillfully maneuvering the National Geographic Sea Lion through the ice that littered the waters of Tracy Arm. This 25 mile long fjord with 2 tidewater glaciers, Sawyer and South Sawyer at the end calving and spilling vast quantities of ice into the water, is one of the most scenic spots in all of Southeast Alaska. Mountains rose steeply on either side of us, and calm milky-blue waters of the fjord invited us to explore its hidden treasures further.
The zodiacs were launched after breakfast and we shot off in the direction of Sawyer Glacier. Harbour seals popped out of the water here and there inspecting us. Icebergs (or more technically brash ice, growlers and bergy bits) littered the waters through which we passed, some intensely blue in color. Numerous waterfalls poured profusely down the steep slopes all around us, arctic terns flew overhead, and the glacier itself loomed at the end of the fjord booming and cracking in its dramatic splendor.
Winding our way back out of Tracy Arm through the ice took some time and Sharon showed us a review of the wildflowers we had seen on this trip through her beautiful photographs. We stopped in the afternoon at Williams Cove near the exit of Tracy Arm to enjoy our last landing and once again walk in the woods admiring the majestic giant trees, kayak among the seabirds, or zodiac cruise in the sunshine. It was a slow and relaxing afternoon and we shed all the many layers of clothes we had been wearing earlier for cruising amongst the ice, to soak up the heat of the day.
Our last evening onboard was complete with a 4th of July celebratory dinner and a champagne toast outside on deck.
