What a glorious day in Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness on our final day of this journey. We woke to beautiful clear skies as we passed Sumdum Glacier in Endicott Arm on our way to Dawes Glacier. As we sailed up the fjords towards the tidewater glacier, we were treated to spectacular waterfalls cascading into the blue water. Our first stop was a very low tide in Fords Terror. We could see rushing currents of the water exiting this fjord, making it impossible to proceed upriver due to the current. After lunch, we made it to Dawes Glacier, where we had our day’s activities. All guests were treated to a close-up view of this spectacular tidewater glacier with calving ice and plenty of harbor seals hauled out on ice floes. What a perfect way to end this epic expedition.
5/7/2025
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Inian Islands, Port Althorp
The Inian Islands invoke sheer joy and excitement among the naturalists, which in turn, is transferred to the guests. We set out in Zodiacs, traversing in nearly unprecedented calm conditions through the narrow Mosquito Pass, then around North Inian Island. We observed over a dozen bald eagles and sea lions waiting for the inrushing tide to bring fish to the surface for easy pickings. We also saw a couple of male sea otters peacefully lying on the surface while fluffing up their fur to introduce air for insulation (they don’t have blubber). The weather was classic Alaska…sun grading to rain…then to partly cloudy. In the afternoon, we traveled to Port Althorp for kayaking and hikes. Again, very calm conditions with intermittent sun and rain. The hikes were beautiful, winding across the mud flats and into the thick rainforest painted with several shades of green. Bear trails were observed and used by us as convenient paths to follow. Kayakers slowly paddled across glassy water to enjoy the peace and solitude. The day ended with soft sun.
