LeConte Bay and Ideal Cove, Alaska, 8/11/2024, National Geographic Sea Bird
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Bird
Alaska
Overnight, the bridge team of National Geographic Sea Bird navigated south through Stephens Passage from Tracy Arm fjord to Le Conte Bay where icebergs that calved from the glacier are grounded by the shallow tidal bar. This allows us to safely get up close and personal with these magnificent pieces of ice by Zodiac.
In the afternoon, we crossed the bay and went hiking in an old growth forest in Ideal Cove on Mitkof Island. What a fantastic and unforgettable day!
Lisa Hornak is a visual journalist and filmmaker based in San Diego, CA, who has worked for newspapers, magazines and wire services worldwide since 2004. She focuses her work on women’s issues, human rights and the impacts of climate change. Her awar...
Alaska can be soft green moss in the mist, slow, peaceful, and still. It can also be thunder, shrapnel, and sudden violence. At the head of the fjord, and the terminus of the Dawes Glacier, we watched as seracs came crashing down into the water, sending shards of ice hundreds of meters away. Gulls and terns danced along the surface, picking off small forage fish churned up in the chaos and outflow. Tidewater glaciers in Southeast Alaska are a surprising collection of life. As these ice rivers travel down toward the sea, they deliver a cold, sediment-rich pulse of nutrients, like iron and silica, that fuel phytoplankton blooms. These blooms form the base of the food chain and attract zooplankton and crustaceans, which in turn attract small fish, birds, and seals. The nutrient pulses from these glaciers fuel not only the abundance of life found within the fjords but also flow out to sea and support the entire marine ecosystem of Southeast Alaska. The calvings we see as spectacular displays of mother nature are far more complex and important to the overall ecosystem, perhaps making it more beautiful and breathtaking in the understanding.
Good morning from Southeast Alaska! Today is the last full day of our journey and it began perfectly. We woke up en route to Dawes Glacier. Once our bridge team found the perfect spot, Zodiacs were lowered, and adventure began! All our guests were taken by Zodiac to Dawes Glacier; as we approached, we stopped at waterfalls and icebergs to glaze upon their glory. After lunch, we were keen to find some whales, and we did! While searching Stephens Passage, we came upon no less than 50 Humpback whales, all spread out in little groups. Some solo, some a mom and calf. Most were resting, logging at the surface. One excited calf breached for us about 15 times. What a spectacular way to end a magnificent trip.
An authentic Alaskan experience includes rain; today, we had an authentic experience for twenty-four hours straight. Our morning hikes took us through a stunning temperate rainforest, made possible by the liquid sunshine that characterizes this region. Everything dripped, and waterfalls increased in volume by the hour. The afternoon included a watercolor session led by Kimberly Wood, and a presentation on whales by Erica Wirth. Five intrepid guests signed up for a Zodiac tour in the continuous downpour, and their bravery was rewarded — they saw at least fifteen bald eagles, nosed up a creek, waved to curious harbor seals, and viewed National Geographic Sea Lion amidst literal mist. Rain creates this place, and today we soaked up that reality.
