Our voyage began with authentic Alaskan weather, meaning consistent rain for much of the day. However, here in these glacial fjords, these days bring mist that blankets looming granitic cliffs and it is objectively beautiful.

Our first excursion on Zodiacs took us to the face of South Sawyer Glacier where we observed natural ice sculptures and a plethora of curious harbor seals. Our afternoon consisted of a presentation on iPhone photography tips from Certified Photo Instructor Alex Rubenstein, an ice melt-off guessing competition hosted by Naturalist Kimberly Wood, and a bear safety briefing from Naturalist Zoey Greenberg.

After dinner Zoey gave a presentation on eagles in preparation for tomorrow’s adventures in Haines Alaska, home of the Alaska Bald Eagle Foundation. Today eased us into the spirit of expedition and reminded us of our relative smallness in this beautiful world.