Early risers aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird stood on the bow as we entered Holkum Bay crossing over a bar, or terminal moraine, that was laid down by the glacier that retreated along this magnificent fjord system. The sun was shining brightly around a few puffs of clouds, and long strips of fog hovering over the water.
We spent our morning in Williams Cove, a great place to stretch travel-weary limbs. Rubber boot-shod feet landed onto the rocky beach and stepped just inside the dense vegetation to amble along a bear trail. Naturalists began to introduce the local flora and fauna of this lush temperate rain forest…most notably the Sitka spruce, western hemlock, skunk cabbage, and devil’s club. Meanwhile explorations were happening just offshore in double and single kayaks. Paddlers and expedition-landing-craft-cruisers made their way across the cove and discovered a beautiful waterfall spilling over the side of the hill. A mixed flock of surf and white-winged scoters flapped by numerous times up and down the length of the cove, and also a flock of sandpipers whooshed this way and that flashing first white, then tan, then white again as they moved in unison across the top of the water. Wow! Their synchronicity was breathtaking.
In the afternoon we traveled up majestic Tracy Arm, a narrow, 22-mile-long fjord with high cliff walls and abundant waterfalls and water colored aqua green by glacial silt. By mid-afternoon South Sawyer glacier came into view and we lowered expedition landing craft to get a closer look. As we wended our way around various sizes, shapes, and colors of floating ice, a conclave of harbor seals were seen splashing around in the distance, making a mewling sound. Some lucky boats had harbor porpoises bow-riding! The brilliant sun warmed faces and sparkled off everything in sight.
Back on board our undersea specialist shared footage from his morning dive while we whet our appetites on a “Taste of Alaska” samplers of smoked salmon, kelp pickles, reindeer sausage, and locally made Sitka chocolates. After dinner our Lindblad-National Geographic certified photo instructor will give an introductory photo talk, and perhaps we will take an evening stroll on deck. What a fabulous first day of our voyage.
