Another sunny day greeted us, this time in a bay on the north side of Icy Strait. Dundas Bay lies within the 3.3 million acres of Glacier Bay National Park. Views of towering peaks from the southern end of the Fairweather Range delighted us, their visages rising upwards of 12,726 feet. Mount La Perouse, Mount Crillon, Mount Bertha, and others remind us that great geologic forces are still at work in this National Park area, recognized as a World Heritage Site. We savor our time here, enjoying kayaking, tours by Zodiac, and hiking in the meadows adorning the bay. Our bootsteps land in those of brown bear, moose, and wolves. This truly is a wilderness to behold.
7/21/2024
Read
National Geographic Sea Bird
Tracy Arm and Williams Cove
Today, National Geographic Sea Bird visited the South Sawyer Glacier. The fjord leading up to the glacier is lined with high and rugged snowcapped mountain peaks, gorgeous waterfalls, and stunning wildlife. In 1879, naturalist John Muir visited the Tracy Arm Fjord. He described the area as, “shut in by sublime Yosemite cliffs, nobly sculptured, and adorned with waterfalls and fringes of trees, bushes and patches of flowers.” This quote captures the same essence and beauty of the Tracy Arm Fjord that we experienced today. But John Muir was never visited by pirates delivering hot chocolate via Zodiac! Dressed in pirate regalia, National Geographic Sea Bird’s fantastic hospitality team delivered hot chocolate topped with whipped cream to guests on Zodiacs as they toured the glacier. After this, we dropped anchor in Williams Cove at the west end of the fjord for a fabulous bushwhack along brown bear trails. Ah, the spirit of exploration!