Tracy Arm
Awaking to the rocky sides of a deep fjord, we saw ice small bergs in the milky-green water, felt cooler temperatures which characterize glacial canyons, and heard the roar of a dozen waterfalls. Soon we began to see harbor seals resting on the ice, fat females with even fatter pups. Although they are just a few weeks old, they are already approaching adult size—the pups grow remarkably fast on the rich diet of mother’s milk.
Anchoring at the base of a waterfall where our anchor would hold on a shallow delta in the deep-water fjord, we prepared for a day of Zodiac explorations and sea kayak paddling, dodging small icebergs and watching wildlife. The wildlife consisted mostly of harbor seals lounging on icebergs and also bald eagles (both adults and juveniles), harbor porpoises, gull, scoters, guillemots, and harlequin ducks. One guest saw what must have been a river otter.
During lunch an iceberg attacked the Sea Bird, but a quartet of Zodiac drivers deftly drove the big berg away. In the afternoon we continued to sea kayak and tour the icy waters by Zodiac as the ebbing tide and a steady breeze exerted their pull and push on the ship. Occasional bergs bumped the ship as Capt. Kay maneuvered the Sea Bird to hold fast at the base of the waterfall until all the passengers and crew were back on board. Then we headed down to the fjord toward Juneau, looking for wildlife along the way: birds, mountain goats, bears, and marine mammals.
Awaking to the rocky sides of a deep fjord, we saw ice small bergs in the milky-green water, felt cooler temperatures which characterize glacial canyons, and heard the roar of a dozen waterfalls. Soon we began to see harbor seals resting on the ice, fat females with even fatter pups. Although they are just a few weeks old, they are already approaching adult size—the pups grow remarkably fast on the rich diet of mother’s milk.
Anchoring at the base of a waterfall where our anchor would hold on a shallow delta in the deep-water fjord, we prepared for a day of Zodiac explorations and sea kayak paddling, dodging small icebergs and watching wildlife. The wildlife consisted mostly of harbor seals lounging on icebergs and also bald eagles (both adults and juveniles), harbor porpoises, gull, scoters, guillemots, and harlequin ducks. One guest saw what must have been a river otter.
During lunch an iceberg attacked the Sea Bird, but a quartet of Zodiac drivers deftly drove the big berg away. In the afternoon we continued to sea kayak and tour the icy waters by Zodiac as the ebbing tide and a steady breeze exerted their pull and push on the ship. Occasional bergs bumped the ship as Capt. Kay maneuvered the Sea Bird to hold fast at the base of the waterfall until all the passengers and crew were back on board. Then we headed down to the fjord toward Juneau, looking for wildlife along the way: birds, mountain goats, bears, and marine mammals.
