Bluebird days in Southeast Alaska are rare, but today dawned bright and clear as National Geographic Quest made its way into Tracy Arm.
Guests took to the Zodiacs for a journey toward South Sawyer Glacier, weaving through an ephemeral sculpture garden of floating icebergs in a bewildering array of forms. The air was filled with the fresh fizz of ancient ice-trapped air bubbles rejoining the atmosphere. The mountains echoed with the bass-y thunder of glacial calving. The naturalists retrieved pieces of ice, giving guests the opportunity to feel their surprising weight and admire their crystalline clarity. Some inquisitive explorers even took a taste!
Those waiting their turn for the small boats were treated to a shipboard foray into the less-frequented north branch of Tracy Arm. They glimpsed the now grounded and dwindling North Sawyer Glacier, and watched in awe as the ship’s bridge team expertly nosed toward a dramatic waterfall.
After a midday meal, many boldly took the plunge into the fjord’s frigid waters before the ship headed down-bay toward the breezy expanse of Stephens Passage. Gorgeous light marked the trip’s final evening; time to gather once more for refreshment, reminiscing, recognition, and emotional farewells.
