Today National Geographic Sea Bird and its crew came out swinging, kicking off our expedition by cruising into Endicott Arm. After breakfast, we launched our Zodiac fleet and set out for the Dawes Glacier face. As we weaved in and out of brash ice, nosed into waterfalls, and sailed deep into the Endicott Arm, we finally arrived at the brilliant blue sapphire face of the glacier. We inched closer and closer, eyes glued to the mile-wide frozen river, when suddenly, a massive serac calved off the face in what felt like slow motion. A thunderous clap rang out as the falling crystals broke and hit the water below. It was an emotional rush for all, and a treat to experience such a mighty force of nature. As we wrapped up our Zodiac tours and began cruising back towards Holcomb Bay, we soon met a humpbacked friend as well as a few Steller sea lions. We even got a wonderful view of Sum Dum Glacier as we cruised by. The day concluded with feelings of wonder and gratitude from today’s excursions and spirits are full of anticipation for what tomorrow holds.
9/5/2024
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness
It was hard to beat the final day of this voyage. On a misty morning in Tracy Arm Fjord, we were met with beautiful green waters and cascading falls down gorgeous mountain faces. We made our way up the winding fjord looking for wildlife and enjoyed the incredible scenery. In the morning, we headed out on Zodiac tours, viewing gorgeous turquoise icebergs and watching the face of South Sawyer Glacier. While appreciating harbor seals in the area, we learned about the natural history of the landscape and wildlife. We were lucky enough to even see the glacier calve. A splash and hearing the thunderous sound of the ice separating from the glacier face was extremely exciting! After a wonderful Zodiac trip, we cruised on the ship towards South Sawyer Glacier for our polar plunge. The ocean water is cold in Alaska, and even chillier when next to a glacier! However, we had some brave guests that wanted to take their plunge into the Alaskan waters. It was a wonderful experience cheering each other on and seeing others dive into the water. After the plunge, we visited a beautiful waterfall called “hole in the wall”. Guests were able to get close, getting covered in the mist of the waterfall. It was definitely a highlight of the trip. Overall, it was an exceptional day.