As the new day came found its bearing, the National Geographic Sea Lion found itself in Bartlett Cove. The purpose, to pick up Randy, a National Parks Ranger, and William, our Cultural Interpreter from the Tlingit Tribe – two men rich with knowledge, brought about to aid our journey north into the bay, giving us extra eyes to spot the wild life and a deliver a broader perspective on the rich, massive natural area that we were about to forage into.
Our first encounter was South Marble Island, and it held to its reputation for producing a vast variety of seabirds. Tufted puffins bobbed together in the water, while gulls and kittywakes sang upon the rocks, trying their best to outdo the chorus of the gathering sea lions. A solitary eagle, recently robbed of its catch, chose to swoop down with revenge in mind, sending hundreds of gulls to the air screeching in protest - another window into the daily power struggles that occur in the proximity of these nesting sites.
Next up was Gloomy Knob, a sheer faced rock that held numerous mountain goats with newly born kids fearlessly making their way about the minimal footholds. Cameras found their focus while more than a few guests cooed at the cuteness of the newborns as they leaped up and down the cliff face. With much delight, the guests found their first Brown Bear at this location, one of many that would follow as we continued to make our way up the bay.
Reaching the terminus of Margerie Glacier, a twenty one mile long tidewater mammoth making its way down from the Fairweather Mountain Range, the guests were treated to the humbling perspective that these rivers of ice provide. We all waited in anticipation for the glacier to calve, giving that unique and special view of the mass of ice finding its way into the ocean water. More bears and eagles waited for us opposite the glacier, showing just how abundant the life is in the park – proving how vital it is to protect its heritage. After another delicious dinner the guests were let free to roam about Bartlett Cove, taking measure of the mantle rebounding, free of the glacier’s weight and the forest making its way in absence of the ice.
