For the crew and staff who sleep in the bowels of the ship, no alarm clock was needed this morning. As we entered Endicott Arm Fjord pre-breakfast, the loud bumping and scraping of icebergs on the steel sides of the ship inches from our heads while we slept was more than enough to wake even the soundest sleeper. Once out on the deck, early risers were rewarded with fantastic views looking up the fjord and floating bergies bigger than cars whizzing by.
Post breakfast the expedition landing craft were dropped into the water and we were whisked off to witness what John Muir came to see in 1880 and described so vividly in his writings that he spawned the beginnings of eco-tourism in Southeast Alaska. We followed in his wake and were duly rewarded with jaw-dropping views of the Dawes Glacier surrounded by cliffs rising over 2,000 feet above us and cascading waterfalls all around. Hot cocoa was delivered to warm us up as we marveled at the thunderous sounds of calving ice hitting the water.
We returned to the ship and made our way to the nearby protected entrance of Ford’s Terror where many scoffed at the rain falling and enjoyed a leisurely paddle in calm water amidst 1,500 foot waterfalls. Afterwards 15 hardy thrill (or chill?) seekers braved the 49F° water and took a brief and shocking polar plunge. Two humpback whales surfacing close to the ship after dinner brought this memorable day and trip to a close.
