Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head…
It’s a typical Southeast Alaskan summer—which, after significant periods of drought, has been a very welcome change. The mosses are moist, the waterfalls roaring, and today’s expedition in the Ford’s Terror Wilderness—still one of the best wilderness names out there—was marked by a mixture of clouds waiting to rain and clouds actively raining.
Nonetheless, the adventure persists! Donned in raingear and every other available layer, National Geographic Sea Bird’s intrepid travelers journeyed up to the face of Dawes Glacier this morning and were treated to a spectacular 100+ foot wall of ice severing from the face and collapsing into a tumultuous series of waves! (An especially exhilarating experience as a driver, I can now vouch.) Happy to report that zero hauled-out harbor seals were disturbed by the glacier in motion.
While we avoided getting wet in the wake of the epic calving event, roughly half of us opted to take our own dive into the ocean water later that afternoon during our ritual Polar Plunge. The rain briefly dampened the Zodiacs but lifted in time for our first brave souls to make the leap. Exhilaration abounded and celebratory badges were awarded that evening to commemorate the brave/reckless (depending on who you ask) decision to swim in Alaska’s waters. What can we say? It’s a wet and wild world – let’s make the most of it!
