There was no doubt about it - today was a day in which we were meant to remain in the realm of ice. This morning we woke to high clouds and large patches of blue sky. The mountains of the Coast Range, with their glistening peaks of white, towered above us, and wisps of mist wrapped around the lower slopes. Before long the mists and the patches of cloud were gone and only blue sky remained. Just before breakfast we entered Tracy Arm - a twenty-five mile long fjord cutting into the North American Plate. It soon became obvious to all on board that this was going to be a great day. Once we rounded the first bend of the fjord we knew we were in an environment unlike anything we'd traveled through before on this trip. Granite walls, carved and polished by glaciers, rose steeply out of the water for thousands of feet... waterfalls cascaded down almost anywhere one looked... and large pieces of ice floated atop an emerald green waterway.

Our first "stop" of the morning was at Hole-in-the-wall aterfall where the mists and waters of the fall wafted over those closest to the bow. Our second stop was to pick up two US Forest Service Rangers who were out patrolling the wilderness and, after breakfast, our third and final stop was at the head of the fjord where both the Sawyer and South Sawyer glaciers had their termini projecting into the water. By now the sun was shining down on us in all its glory. First the hats and gloves came off, then the raingear and parkas, then finally the sweaters and pile vests. It was HOT in the sun. While it's said that Alaskans don't tan they just thaw, it was GREAT to feel and appreciate the golden orb in the sky. While the Sea Lion drifted in front of these two majestic glaciers, we stood on the bow awestruck at the sight before us. Billions of metric tons of ice slowly carved and crept its way down valley as gulls, goats, and seals flew, climbed, and swam around us.

Our plan for the day was to head back out of the fjord during lunch but it was just too stunning to leave... so we didn't. The Zodiacs were launched and for the rest of the afternoon we just played in front of the South Sawyer Glacier. Those not in the Zodiacs sunned themselves on the back deck while the others toured the face of this incredible chunk of ice waiting for "plinkage," "plunkage," and major "dunkage." Our patience was rewarded with some incredible calving. Unfortunately our trip was winding down and we did have to make our way back out of the fjord and start heading towards Juneau. With cocktails on the sundeck we watched the fjord slowly open back up into Stephens Passage. Juneau was not too far off. Our last stop of the day, however, was not in Juneau but rather a surprise bonfire on the beach in Williams Cove. It seemed fitting that after a day of playing in the sun we should head for the beach.