Imagine the early morning – waking up to the light streaming in, to the great final day of our expedition. Take a look outside and a large, beautiful iceberg sits silently beside the National Geographic Sea Bird. We took a turn around this vibrant blue ice, taking in the geometric and artistic natural sculpture and slowly head into William’s Cove.

Our morning started with a beautiful hike in the forests and shoreline. After learning so much about the Alaskan temperate rainforest, many could recognize and name the important trees, shrubs, ferns, and flowers of this ecosystem. The tide was retreating, which allowed for a through exploration in the intertidal. We found barnacles, mussels, crabs, and anemones! Others enjoyed a peaceful kayak trip along the shore to beautiful waterfalls and a closer look at the iceberg.

Back on board our younger explorers got to try their hands at the helm of a zodiac. After a careful lesson in seamanship they sped off with the Bowsain, taking turns directing their craft. Proud parents snapped pictures of their young captains who took turns exploring the cove.

For the past week we have been surrounded by the beauty of the Alaskan wilderness. We experienced the sights of towering trees, the smell of the forest, and the sound of rain drops against leaves. But it wasn’t until we jumped into thirty eight degree glacial water that we were, quite literally, immersed in Alaska. Our polar plunge was a great success with many screams of glee, dives, cannonballs, and even a backflip! With the sun shining to warm us up, we felt revitalized and ready for one final adventure.

We could not leave Alaska without saying goodbye to the ice. We slowly made our way to Tracy Arm, near the head of the South Sawyer Glacier. Already surrounded by small icebergs, we climbed into our expedition craft to get a closer look. We were not disappointed! The South Sawyer glacier raises high above the water, a towering wall of glistening ice. We crept in slowly and saw harbor seals perched on small icebergs and Arctic terns soaring above. The glow of glacial blue ice is both astonishing and peaceful and we sat silently listening to the crackling of ice all around us.

Our day, as well as our expedition, was capped off by a final farewell dinner, or as our Captain eloquently put it, our “until we see you again” dinner. Stories of the remarkable journey were shared in words and in pictures. Sitting down to share one final meal together, we truly could share our Alaskan experience.