After breakfast we were given an opportunity to get a closer look at nearby South Sawyer Glacier. Zodiacs were lowered so we could move in and around the icebergs that lay in front of this gorgeous blue-iced glacier. Bundled in many layers of clothing we loaded into the Zodiacs and began making our way towards the face of this wall of compressed ice. Throughout the small and large icebergs was a flotilla of harbor seals and their pups. These marine mammals journey to this remote and hopefully safe haven to give birth to their young. Even though these Harbor seals are born on floating ice, safety is still a scarce commodity! These newborn seals may be partially protected from predators but they are not safe from the sudden calving of ice that may turn their birthplace upside down. Consequently these tiny newborn harbor seals can swim within minutes of their birth. Mothers prefer to keep them safe and floating, but should the ice shift, or the mother become nervous, both mother and pup enter the cold water and begin a self-assured water ballet. We moved slowly in and around the ice, having many chances to view the close bond between mother harbor seals and their pups, while at the same time seeing many ice sculptures take on the shapes of the landscape around them.
As we turned to leave the glacier, we learned of some killer whales that had entered the bay. These whales are potential predators of the seals, but we don't usually see them so close to the glaciers and icebergs. While we were following the killer whales, a bear was spotted on the shore. It was a brown-colored black bear, foraging in the intertidal zone. We had seen some other very black, black bears, but the coloration of this species can vary considerably. We approached silently and by looking at the profile of this bear we could determine the species, one of three different bear species in Alaska. At this time of year it is not unusual to see them near the shore at low tide; they will feed on barnacles and mussels, small crabs and worms. Lunch was delayed for this bear, and then we caught up with the killer whales and continued down bay toward our afternoon destination, where we took hikes in Williams Cove. Here we were introduced to the vegetation of the Tongass National Forest. Signs of bears, river otters, and wolves convinced us that this is truly a wild place.