The times in which a naturalist guarantees specific animals is rare. The magic of wild spaces is, in part, the lack of predictability. Yet we sometimes find rhythms that we can count on. Humpback whales in southeast Alaska in June are something I can hang my hat on and this morning they did not let us down. After sailing from Juneau overnight, we awoke to our beautiful first breakfast, which was served as dozens of humpback whales explored Frederick Sound around us.
As the morning went on we said goodbye to our humpback friends and went in search of ice in Tracy Arm. Our captain brought us to the end of the fjord and then we dropped the Zodiacs into the water to complete the final leg of our journey to South Sawyer Glacier. We spent the afternoon on the Zodiacs enjoying hot chocolate while watching the glacier calve, as harbor seals rested on the ice that the glacier had recently donated to them.
