The last day of our expedition dawned with unusually sunny skies in Tracy Arm, a rugged wilderness which early explorer John Muir called “a wild, unfinished Yosemite.” Early risers were treated to an elusive mountain goat nanny and kid wandering in and out of vegetation on a steep, rocky cliff face. Guests emerged from breakfast to outstanding views of the narrow twisting fjord with tiny waterfalls shimmering down from unseen heights and occasional glimpses of high peaks above. The water in front of South Sawyer Glacier was choked with seal-covered ice, and from a distance we had great views of ice-draped peaks behind the glacier. Waterfalls were backlit by sunlight as we turned toward North Sawyer Glacier and loaded into our expedition landing craft.
North Sawyer is a rapidly retreating glacier and has exposed a desolate rocky moonscape of barren rock in its wake. Ice peeling off the glacier boomed into the fjord, creating huge waves which ricocheted from ice to rock. Arctic terns flitted in front of the glacier, picking up a free meal of fish stunned by the falling ice. Chubby harbor seals perched on bergy bits rocked and rolled with the waves. Before lunch, those with a strong constitution braved the frigid waters and launched themselves off the fantail to claim the right to say they went swimming with glacier ice.
The afternoon was spent sailing out of Tracy Arm, featuring a brief brown bear sighting, bald eagles perched on large bergy bits, and two close encounters with waterfalls. The younger guests enjoyed an ecosystem game and wrote entertaining stories about Alaska wildlife.
The day ended with a toast and heartfelt thanks to Captain Sinclair for his last expedition with Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic.
