Today was a magical day on the Sea Bird, exploring two of the most scenic fjords in all of Southeast Alaska. These narrow waterways were carved by glaciers during the Ice Age.

Shortly after sunrise the ship entered a long fjord known as Tracy Arm. By the time breakfast was served, we had returned to the Ice Age. The ship navigated through ice calved from the tidewater glaciers at the head of the fjord. After breakfast, we dropped the Zodiacs and cruised in the ice for a closer look from water level. Harbor seals, with their perfectly round heads and big eyes, kept a close watch as we listened to the "white thunder" as the active glacier dropped huge chunks of ice into the sea.

Later in the day, the ship explored Fords Terror, another fjord not far from Tracy Arm. Fords Terror gets its name from the swift currents that shoot through the narrows between sheer rock walls that rise abruptly from the sea. Here it is only possible to explore with Zodiacs when the tide is just right. Luckily for us, the slack current at high tide enabled us to explore the upper reaches of the fjord. Cascades of water thundered down through narrow slots in the cliffs, creating dramatic waterfalls that spilled into the sea. As we drifted silently with the current, the mist clinging to the cliffs added to the drama of this dream-like scene.

A great day!