Tracy Arm
Just after sunrise this morning, the Sea Lion cruised over the terminal moraine of the Sawyer glaciers and began cruising on a slow bell heading approximately thirty-miles up a fjord called Tracy Arm. This fjord is part of the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness area that includes 653,179 acres of rugged coast mountains bordering Holkham Bay on the east side of Stephens Passage, and includes Endicott Arm and Fords Terror east to the Canadian border.
Captain Delisle piloted the Sea Lion through a thick layer of bergie bits, to within a quarter mile of the face of Sawyer glacier. A feeling of mystery was added to our approach by clouds resting on the tops of the 6,000 foot previously glaciated mountains on either side of the fjord. The mists swirled down the fjord in shades of gray on gray with just a hint of dark green. We remained at the face of the glacier listening to the “white thunder” of falling ice, and watching as Arctic terns dove in the outwash stream of the glacier for food being stirred up in the current. The high pitched, squeaky voices carried easily over the water as the birds negotiated wind, current and water in their ever-present search for food.
During breakfast our vessel repositioned slightly to South Sawyer glacier where Zodiacs were lowered for a morning of ice tours. The Sea Lion was divided into two groups and our natural history staff manned the engines for a short twenty-minute ride through icebergs, growlers and bergie bits all floating in the water leading up to the face of South Sawyer glacier. At a quarter of a mile from the face, all Zodiacs came to a stop and exercised patience, waiting, for the possible large calving of ice from the face of the glacier. We were rewarded with many small sections of ice that crashed down into the water, the sound echoing off the walls of the fjord. This was followed by a large wave rolling through the bergie bits and icebergs rocking the Zodiacs gently on three-foot swells. Once we had our fill of ice in varying shades of blue, white and dense clear pieces, we moved cautiously towards a large group of harbor seals hauled out on small icebergs. Our drivers maneuvered carefully and quietly towards a group of seals who lifted their heads curious about a Zodiac filled with figures decorating the pontoons of their craft. Slowly we backed away, leaving the seals undisturbed and began our return to the Sea Lion. Zodiacs would switch out for a return tour of blue ice and the white thunder of falling ice from the face of the glacier, and visit again the faces of curious harbor seals.
All too soon our morning activities ended and the full compliment of guests and Zodiacs had returned to the Sea Lion. Our vessel began heading down Tracy Arm towards the mouth of the fjord and a small bay called Williams Cove. The afternoon would consist of a variety of hikes and a turn in the kayaks through the quiet waters of this inlet. The long hikers landed down bay just past another salmon stream. As Zodiacs approached the beach we could see the schooling salmon at the head of the creek. We were reminded again of this important season in Southeast Alaska, the time of harvest. The bears, the eagles and other birds, all other land animals and the human beings, all gather to harvest the bountiful supply of salmon as these fish return to their natal streams up and down the Northwest coast from Washington to Southeast Alaska.
Just after sunrise this morning, the Sea Lion cruised over the terminal moraine of the Sawyer glaciers and began cruising on a slow bell heading approximately thirty-miles up a fjord called Tracy Arm. This fjord is part of the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness area that includes 653,179 acres of rugged coast mountains bordering Holkham Bay on the east side of Stephens Passage, and includes Endicott Arm and Fords Terror east to the Canadian border.
Captain Delisle piloted the Sea Lion through a thick layer of bergie bits, to within a quarter mile of the face of Sawyer glacier. A feeling of mystery was added to our approach by clouds resting on the tops of the 6,000 foot previously glaciated mountains on either side of the fjord. The mists swirled down the fjord in shades of gray on gray with just a hint of dark green. We remained at the face of the glacier listening to the “white thunder” of falling ice, and watching as Arctic terns dove in the outwash stream of the glacier for food being stirred up in the current. The high pitched, squeaky voices carried easily over the water as the birds negotiated wind, current and water in their ever-present search for food.
During breakfast our vessel repositioned slightly to South Sawyer glacier where Zodiacs were lowered for a morning of ice tours. The Sea Lion was divided into two groups and our natural history staff manned the engines for a short twenty-minute ride through icebergs, growlers and bergie bits all floating in the water leading up to the face of South Sawyer glacier. At a quarter of a mile from the face, all Zodiacs came to a stop and exercised patience, waiting, for the possible large calving of ice from the face of the glacier. We were rewarded with many small sections of ice that crashed down into the water, the sound echoing off the walls of the fjord. This was followed by a large wave rolling through the bergie bits and icebergs rocking the Zodiacs gently on three-foot swells. Once we had our fill of ice in varying shades of blue, white and dense clear pieces, we moved cautiously towards a large group of harbor seals hauled out on small icebergs. Our drivers maneuvered carefully and quietly towards a group of seals who lifted their heads curious about a Zodiac filled with figures decorating the pontoons of their craft. Slowly we backed away, leaving the seals undisturbed and began our return to the Sea Lion. Zodiacs would switch out for a return tour of blue ice and the white thunder of falling ice from the face of the glacier, and visit again the faces of curious harbor seals.
All too soon our morning activities ended and the full compliment of guests and Zodiacs had returned to the Sea Lion. Our vessel began heading down Tracy Arm towards the mouth of the fjord and a small bay called Williams Cove. The afternoon would consist of a variety of hikes and a turn in the kayaks through the quiet waters of this inlet. The long hikers landed down bay just past another salmon stream. As Zodiacs approached the beach we could see the schooling salmon at the head of the creek. We were reminded again of this important season in Southeast Alaska, the time of harvest. The bears, the eagles and other birds, all other land animals and the human beings, all gather to harvest the bountiful supply of salmon as these fish return to their natal streams up and down the Northwest coast from Washington to Southeast Alaska.
