Fords Terror and Dawes Glacier, 8/8/2024, National Geographic Sea Bird
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Bird
Alaska
The last day aboard National Geographic Sea Bird began with incredible views of Sumdum Glacier as the ship cruised into Endicott Arm. In the morning, guests were treated to Zodiac cruises and kayaking throughout the area surrounding Fords Terror. This area is named after a crew member aboard the survey ship, Carlile P. Patterson, and his experience surveying the area in 1889.
In the afternoon, guests enjoyed cruising towards the face of Dawes Glacier in Zodiacs, while observing harbor seals, Arctic terns, and of course, the stunning glacier. We always hate saying goodbye to guests who bring such incredible sunshine with them, but we’re excited to create stewards of nature and the environment.
Melissa Heres is a diver, captain, marine biologist, and hydrographer. Growing up on a farm in a landlocked portion of Germany, she explored the natural world surrounding her which translated into a fascination with the sea and travel.
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Sunlight! Beautiful, bright sunlight (AGAIN!) that made us squint greeted us this morning onboard National Geographic Sea Lion as we cruised up Endicott Arm, which is a glacially carved fjord cut into the mainland of Southeast Alaska. The clear blue colored icebergs looked like precious gemstones, and some even appeared to have been sculpted by hand. When we reached the upper part of the fjord, we launched the Zodiacs and visited the fjord’s upper reaches and the face of Dawes Glacier. We approached Dawes Glacier within one-quarter mile of its 250-foot-high face. We marveled at the classic signs of glaciation: glacial striations, bowl-shaped cirques, U-shaped valleys, rounded domes, and hanging valleys complete with waterfalls. Meanwhile, harbor seals on ice floes and in the water curiously watched our every move. Later, some of us boldly jumped into the fjord’s chilly waters during the polar plunge. In the evening, there was cocktail hour, recap, and dinner as we cruised north through Stephens Passage towards our disembarkation port of Juneau. It was an exceptional voyage, and after dinner, there were many emotions as the light slowly dimmed and we bid Alaska farewell, at least for now.
National Geographic Sea Lion anchored in the early morning hours at our destination of Cascade Creek. After breakfast, kayakers and hikers were brought ashore for interchangeable activities. Our entire morning was spent either hiking, kayaking, or paddle boarding. Cascade Creek has been a well-known hiking destination since the 1930s, due to its proximity to Petersburg, Alaska. The area was scouted by prospectors in the 1930s, and the trails have been maintained by the Forest Service ever since. Cascade Creek is part of the 17 million acres that make up the Tongass National Temperate Rainforest. Once on shore, we broke up into several levels of hiking groups and began exploring this unique forest environment. Enormous Sitka spruce and western hemlock dominated the land. Sitka alder and many shrubs filled the undergrowth. The waterfall of Cascade Creek provided a wonderful environment for many lichens, mosses, and tiny forest floor flowers, all decorated in mist from the waterfall. Our gorgeous weather continued and brought us to the end of the day. We were surrounded by humpback whales, doing what whales do during Alaskan summers, fattening up on the rich cold waters of the north Pacific. For several minutes at a time, everyone would stop, be as quiet as possible, and listen to whale blows as the final light of yet another gorgeous sunny day slipped into a lovely sunset sky.