The rays of sunshine filtering through the window shades invited our guests out of their cabins, and into the sense of awe inspired by Endicott Arm. Varying shapes and sizes of floating ice speckled the sea around us. Endicott Arm provided the passengers of the National Geographic Sea Bird the opportunity to share the highly anticipating moment of witnessing glacial calving. Although the sun was out in all its glory, everyone was reminded to dress in several layers to prepare for the katabatic winds experienced as we near the glacial face. As we made our way in for a closer look, we found we had several unexpected escorts of cute and often shy harbor seals. After maneuvering around chunks of ice and visiting several waterfalls to photograph, our group of expedition landing craft lined up to view the glacier. Several sections of the glacial face were active today revealing magnificent blue insides, and exposing rock that had been waiting thousands of years to see the light of day. The first moment of hearing the soft roar created by the calving events will remain with many of our travelers for years to come. The sound of “white thunder,” as called by the indigenous people of the area, has a way of travelling through your whole being, and bringing you more fully into the moment. Spectacular!
Along with the harbor seals, there were also sightings of mountain goats and several bird species, but around the corner was a true treat. As the National Geographic Sea Bird made its way to our next location, we were fortunate to have our first black bear sighting of the year! The bear, recently out of hibernation, was a beautiful specimen. Large in size with shiny black fir, our guests we fortunate enough to get an up close view from the comfort of our expedition landing craft. After relishing in the impressiveness of our sighting, our team was taken to shore for kayaking and hiking opportunities. The luck of the day continued just after landing when several guests and crew caught a glimpse of yet another bear up the mountain from where we landed. Moments later, those on the hike were able to add a wolf to their collection of animal encounters for the day. The experience of being surrounded by the breathtaking mountains, waterfalls, and wildlife was topped off with the ambiance of Alaska being completed by the sounds in the distance of an avalanche, created as spring continues to warm to snow covered mountain tops. What a truly exciting day for us here on the National Geographic Sea Bird.
Topping off the night was a very special experience of an actual live dive! Excited guests, crew, and staff all piled into the lounge to view the screens as our divers Ian and Justin took us on a very up close and personal experience into the deep. The live dive allowed guests to not only hear what was being explained by the diver, but also to ask any questions in real time. Hearing the shivers of breath and unrehearsed reactions of our diver brought a new sense of experiencing the moment of discovery together. The efforts it took to put this new venture into play were rewarded in the last moments as the camera discovered love was in the air. Two king crabs found mating behind a lone rock…the lover’s lane of southeast!
