Endicott Arm & Williams Cove
Our day began in Endicott Arm, one of the scenic fjords in the Tracy Arm/ Ford’s Terror Wilderness Area. This wilderness area is a part of the Tongass National Forest that has been set aside for future generations to experience in an undeveloped, unchanged state. At the end of the fjord the impressive Dawes Glacier flows down to meet the sea, and right after breakfast we boarded Zodiacs to get a closer look at the ice. Free of the Sea Lion, we wound our way around icebergs, bergy bits, and growlers on our way toward the glacier. Harbor seal mothers and pups dotted the ice floating all around us, and when we slowed down to watch them they seemed to be as interested in us as we were in them. In June, female harbor seals seek the refuge of the ice near tidewater glaciers to have their pups; the pups stay here with their mothers for a month or more, fattening up on their mother’s rich milk. The glacier provided an immense backdrop that drew our attention each time we heard a sharp crack or thunderous roll. It took time, but the glacier did loosen its grip, and the ice crumbled into the sea.
In the afternoon we crossed the bar at the mouth of Endicott Arm; this is a relatively shallow area formed by the terminal moraine of the Dawes Glacier, and it is a productive area due to strong currents and upwelling. We certainly saw biological signs of this productivity as there were three or four humpback whales, Steller sea lions, and numerous sea birds feeding in the area.
Our plan was to head to Williams Cove for our first shore landing, but a brown bear walking on a beach caused a quick detour. We watched the bear stroll along the beach and disappear into a meadow, and then it was on to Williams Cove. Once we got ashore, we split into several groups and walked along various trails through the forest. We encountered Sitka spruce, western hemlock, devil’s club and had to step around some very impressive bear scat. Heading back to the landing site we walked along a meadow full of beautiful wildflowers, and just near the end of the walk we spotted a pair of American pipits feeding above the tide line. A pipit sighting is a real treat as these birds are still migrating to their breeding grounds in the far north. All in all, today was a great start to our journey in Alaska.
Our day began in Endicott Arm, one of the scenic fjords in the Tracy Arm/ Ford’s Terror Wilderness Area. This wilderness area is a part of the Tongass National Forest that has been set aside for future generations to experience in an undeveloped, unchanged state. At the end of the fjord the impressive Dawes Glacier flows down to meet the sea, and right after breakfast we boarded Zodiacs to get a closer look at the ice. Free of the Sea Lion, we wound our way around icebergs, bergy bits, and growlers on our way toward the glacier. Harbor seal mothers and pups dotted the ice floating all around us, and when we slowed down to watch them they seemed to be as interested in us as we were in them. In June, female harbor seals seek the refuge of the ice near tidewater glaciers to have their pups; the pups stay here with their mothers for a month or more, fattening up on their mother’s rich milk. The glacier provided an immense backdrop that drew our attention each time we heard a sharp crack or thunderous roll. It took time, but the glacier did loosen its grip, and the ice crumbled into the sea.
In the afternoon we crossed the bar at the mouth of Endicott Arm; this is a relatively shallow area formed by the terminal moraine of the Dawes Glacier, and it is a productive area due to strong currents and upwelling. We certainly saw biological signs of this productivity as there were three or four humpback whales, Steller sea lions, and numerous sea birds feeding in the area.
Our plan was to head to Williams Cove for our first shore landing, but a brown bear walking on a beach caused a quick detour. We watched the bear stroll along the beach and disappear into a meadow, and then it was on to Williams Cove. Once we got ashore, we split into several groups and walked along various trails through the forest. We encountered Sitka spruce, western hemlock, devil’s club and had to step around some very impressive bear scat. Heading back to the landing site we walked along a meadow full of beautiful wildflowers, and just near the end of the walk we spotted a pair of American pipits feeding above the tide line. A pipit sighting is a real treat as these birds are still migrating to their breeding grounds in the far north. All in all, today was a great start to our journey in Alaska.
