Tracy Arm
We crossed “the bar” and entered one of the most spectacular fjords in North America early this morning. These shallows at the entrance to the inlet are the terminal moraine and mark the farthest advance of the glaciers that carved this steep-walled valley. By the time Tom gave his morning wake-up call, we were less than a mile away from the “shrieking vitriol blue” face of Sawyer glacier. We sat for nearly an hour watching several large pieces of ice calve off the face and, seconds later, listening to the roaring “white thunder.” As breakfast was announced and we turned to leave, a few folks lingered on deck to witness two enormous calvings.
Just after breakfast we worked our way to within a quarter mile of the jutting snout of South Sawyer glacier. Several harbor seal mothers and pups were hauled out on the floating chunks of ice, basking in the mid-summer sun. With the bow of the Sea Bird fairly close to the steep cliff on the south side of the valley, we were able to spot a small band of mountain goats down near the water. While we watched, these incredibly sure-footed animals scaled the smooth, steep slope and disappeared into the shrubby alders above. The remainder of our morning was spent cruising back out the arm, enjoying both sunshine and soaring scenery from the bow of the ship.
After lunch we made a landing on a gravel beach near the entrance to the fjord. Pure Alaska summer fun ensued. The entire fleet of kayaks was launched for two rounds of exploring this placid cove. Able to slip through the water quietly and tuck in very close to shore, the paddlers saw harbor seals, bald eagles, a common goldeneye trailing several ducklings, marbled murrelets and common loons. The high tide allowed us to nose the bows of our kayaks into the base of a few small waterfalls. While not kayaking, folks were able to explore the forest and shore on foot. One group blazed along bear trails and beach from the landing to the head of the bay, briefly encountering a bear cub and its mother. Another group strolled at a more leisurely pace, finding meadow flowers, ripe berries and odd plants on the forest floor.
Just before heading back to the ship, a small group of hot hikers decided to take a plunge. Walking gingerly across barnacle covered rocks, the swimmers dove in and emerged whooping and hollering—a rare treat on a sunny, summer day. A close approach to the torrent of Hole-in-the-Wall Falls just after dinner brought this fine day to a close.
