Tracy Arm – Ford’s Terror Wilderness Area & Williams Cove

The first sound I heard as I gained consciousness this morning aboard National Geographic Sea Bird was… pouring rain. I’m an early riser and it was still dark at 4:45 a.m. I closed my eyes and re-awakened half an hour later to dawning light and... quiet. The only sounds I heard were the ship’s engine and the shushing of ocean as we made our way against the strong current toward Tracy Arm.

The ship turned into this magnificently carved fjord and we made our way past icebergs, bergie bits and growlers up the 24-mile arm in the hopes of getting a good look at the Sawyer glaciers. Morning qigong stretchers were rewarded with refreshingly pure air on the sundeck and beautiful views of the glacier-carved cliffs towering 2,000 feet above.

We continued our ice explorations by Zodiacs, wending our way through huge icebergs in exquisite hues of blue, white, and the clearest of clear, making sure to keep a good distance from the curious harbor seals hauled out on the ice. Waterfalls spilled down the cliff walls, emptying into the sea below to create spiraling currents and shifting ice floes. The CRACK! of ice calving off the glacier sounded like its native moniker “white thunder.” It’s hard to describe the thrill of being in the presence of this massive vibrant flowing river of ice, and all the beauty that surrounds it.

We spent the afternoon getting our first taste of the temperate rainforest of Tongass National Forest. Zodiacs brought us ashore for a variety of walks along the rocky beach, through the forest, and for kayaking along the shoreline. We were introduced to the main trees in the area, Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock, learned to steer clear of thorny Devil’s Club, and began to train our eyes to observe the signs of wildlife all around us. It was also a wonderful opportunity to begin bonding with our rubber boots.

At this writing we are just finishing up with dinner, and making our way out to the bow to scan for humpbacks in the waning daylight. Keeping my fingers crossed!