Tracy Arm, Glaciers, kayaking and hiking!
The early hours of the day found the Sea Bird cruising east and slightly north into Tracy Arm. Our morning destination would be the faces of South Sawyer and Sawyer Glaciers. The origin of these two tide water glaciers is the Stikine ice field, located just eleven miles from the Canadian border and approximately fifty miles north of Juneau, Alaska. Captain Kay carefully threaded his way through the ice bergs, growlers and bergie bits that had recently calved away from the face of Sawyer Glacier. Slowing the pace of the Sea Bird, our Captain positioned the ship just off of Margarite Island, with a great view of South Sawyer Glacier. Pausing briefly, we had our first opportunity to see the river of ice as it approached the waters edge at the most eastern end of Tracy Arm. Our vessel continued a short distance, and slowly the face of Sawyer Glacier, three quarters of a mile in width, came into much closer view. It was an awesome display of ice – shades of deep blue with enormous, deeply formed crevasses near the top of a wall of ice that spilled into Tracy Arm. We were looking at two hundred year old snowfall, compressed by shear weight into ice, pulled by gravity in a great fluid river, flowing down into the deep waters of Tracy Arm.
Our goal this morning would be getting a closer look by Zodiac at not only the glacier but, the ice flows in front of the glacier and some of the regular summer inhabitants of those ice flows. Harbor seals come each May, remaining for several weeks in preparation for birthing. On the ice the females are safe from land predators, and especially Killer whales who prefer clear water and won’t venture into the silted waters that are common to the faces of glaciers. Within hours of birth these harbor seal pups are swimming, close to their mother’s side. For the next three to six weeks the bond between mother and pup is strong, while the pup nurses on the rich milk of its mother. The peak of the harbor seal birthing was approximately two weeks ago, but there were still many pairs of seals watching us watch them, as the mothers kept a close eye on their young. The middle of these animals is heavily insulated, and remains on the ice, while the less insulated parts of the body, the head and flippers, are often lifted in the air in a rather comical pose…like giant, fat speckled sausages resting on ice flows in front of Sawyer Glacier. As we approached very quietly in Zodiacs we were able to see the curious expressions on the faces of the seals; sometimes a little apprehension followed by a dive into the water. A few minutes later the same animal would lift it’s head out of the water to watch as we passed, or using a formidable set of nails on the their front flippers, the seal would crawl right back up on another ice flow and continue observing the ice and water world around them.
Our four Zodiacs continued cruising in and amongst large and small pieces of ice, watching the face of the glacier in hopes of seeing a calving. Right on cue, a large, unstable section of the glacier gave way, and in slow motion descended into water. WOW! The sound followed, ringing off the walls of the fjord. This sound is called white thunder by the Native peoples who inhabit Southeast Alaska. A large rolling wave followed the calving, and the Zodiacs and ice flows with Harbor seals rolled in the swells.
All too soon the Zodiacs were called back to the Sea Bird for departure. Sadly we left this unusual water world of ice, harbor seals, and the otherworldly sounds made by both and returned to begin our return passage approximately thirty miles west to Stevens Passage and the entrance to Tracy Arm.
Once all guests and Zodiacs were back on board Captain Kay began a slow cruise down the fjord stopping at Hole in the Wall water fall for a close and intimate view. We continued back down Tracy Arm heading for our afternoon destination of Williams Cove were kayaking and several hikes would be offered.
Late in the afternoon, we made the short Zodiac ride to shore and had our first opportunities for both kayaking and a closer look at the temperate rain forest. Small squalls of light mist passed over Williams Cove, lacing the forested hillsides with feathery clouds. The water was still, perfect for kayaking, the forests offered protection from the mist, and many species of birds sang to us as we explored along well established brown bear trails! This very unusual place called Southeast Alaska had truly expressed its complexity and beauty to us this day. As we paddled the quiet waters of Williams Cove and explored the forest our imaginations took us to a time when the first inhabitants, the Tlingits, called this protected cove home, telling the stories of their ancestors around central fires in great Big Houses that were always built in just such a spot – one that offered protection from the elements and a bounty of resources still largely available in the waters and land of Southeast Alaska.
The early hours of the day found the Sea Bird cruising east and slightly north into Tracy Arm. Our morning destination would be the faces of South Sawyer and Sawyer Glaciers. The origin of these two tide water glaciers is the Stikine ice field, located just eleven miles from the Canadian border and approximately fifty miles north of Juneau, Alaska. Captain Kay carefully threaded his way through the ice bergs, growlers and bergie bits that had recently calved away from the face of Sawyer Glacier. Slowing the pace of the Sea Bird, our Captain positioned the ship just off of Margarite Island, with a great view of South Sawyer Glacier. Pausing briefly, we had our first opportunity to see the river of ice as it approached the waters edge at the most eastern end of Tracy Arm. Our vessel continued a short distance, and slowly the face of Sawyer Glacier, three quarters of a mile in width, came into much closer view. It was an awesome display of ice – shades of deep blue with enormous, deeply formed crevasses near the top of a wall of ice that spilled into Tracy Arm. We were looking at two hundred year old snowfall, compressed by shear weight into ice, pulled by gravity in a great fluid river, flowing down into the deep waters of Tracy Arm.
Our goal this morning would be getting a closer look by Zodiac at not only the glacier but, the ice flows in front of the glacier and some of the regular summer inhabitants of those ice flows. Harbor seals come each May, remaining for several weeks in preparation for birthing. On the ice the females are safe from land predators, and especially Killer whales who prefer clear water and won’t venture into the silted waters that are common to the faces of glaciers. Within hours of birth these harbor seal pups are swimming, close to their mother’s side. For the next three to six weeks the bond between mother and pup is strong, while the pup nurses on the rich milk of its mother. The peak of the harbor seal birthing was approximately two weeks ago, but there were still many pairs of seals watching us watch them, as the mothers kept a close eye on their young. The middle of these animals is heavily insulated, and remains on the ice, while the less insulated parts of the body, the head and flippers, are often lifted in the air in a rather comical pose…like giant, fat speckled sausages resting on ice flows in front of Sawyer Glacier. As we approached very quietly in Zodiacs we were able to see the curious expressions on the faces of the seals; sometimes a little apprehension followed by a dive into the water. A few minutes later the same animal would lift it’s head out of the water to watch as we passed, or using a formidable set of nails on the their front flippers, the seal would crawl right back up on another ice flow and continue observing the ice and water world around them.
Our four Zodiacs continued cruising in and amongst large and small pieces of ice, watching the face of the glacier in hopes of seeing a calving. Right on cue, a large, unstable section of the glacier gave way, and in slow motion descended into water. WOW! The sound followed, ringing off the walls of the fjord. This sound is called white thunder by the Native peoples who inhabit Southeast Alaska. A large rolling wave followed the calving, and the Zodiacs and ice flows with Harbor seals rolled in the swells.
All too soon the Zodiacs were called back to the Sea Bird for departure. Sadly we left this unusual water world of ice, harbor seals, and the otherworldly sounds made by both and returned to begin our return passage approximately thirty miles west to Stevens Passage and the entrance to Tracy Arm.
Once all guests and Zodiacs were back on board Captain Kay began a slow cruise down the fjord stopping at Hole in the Wall water fall for a close and intimate view. We continued back down Tracy Arm heading for our afternoon destination of Williams Cove were kayaking and several hikes would be offered.
Late in the afternoon, we made the short Zodiac ride to shore and had our first opportunities for both kayaking and a closer look at the temperate rain forest. Small squalls of light mist passed over Williams Cove, lacing the forested hillsides with feathery clouds. The water was still, perfect for kayaking, the forests offered protection from the mist, and many species of birds sang to us as we explored along well established brown bear trails! This very unusual place called Southeast Alaska had truly expressed its complexity and beauty to us this day. As we paddled the quiet waters of Williams Cove and explored the forest our imaginations took us to a time when the first inhabitants, the Tlingits, called this protected cove home, telling the stories of their ancestors around central fires in great Big Houses that were always built in just such a spot – one that offered protection from the elements and a bounty of resources still largely available in the waters and land of Southeast Alaska.
