Endicott Arm – Dawes Glacier and Fords Terror
Endicott Arm is one of two scenic fjords that make up the aquatic portion of the over 650,000-acre Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness Area. The National Geographic Sea Lion cruised past magnificent rock walls toward the terminus of Dawes Glacier, which tumbles from the Coast Mountains down to the sea. By Zodiac we approached closer to the face, keeping a safe distance away while we waited and hoped for some calving activity. We were not disappointed. To our delight, many tons of ice broke from the towering face multiple times and crashed into the sea with a thunderous roar. We also witnessed a “shooter”, which is a large chunk of ice that breaks off from the portion of the glacier that is under water and surges up to the surface. The resulting icebergs provide a place for harbor seals to rest and bear their pups. The young seals we saw today are already weaned and on their own.
At low tide, the high tide mark is visible where the sea water has lapped against the ice, slightly undercutting it and leaving a horizontal line across the glacier. Today we noticed the tide line was interrupted in many places by recent calvings.
During lunch our ship positioned in front of the glacier and more large calvings occurred. Sunshine bathed the glacier and its surroundings, making for excellent photo opportunities. We basked in the warmth as we turned and headed back down the bay.
Late in the afternoon we entered another small fjord and anchored outside of Fords Terror, a narrow constriction where raging torrents occur during the tidal exchange. The tail end of the flood tide gently escorted our Zodiacs into the inner gorge, which opens up to soaring granitic cliffs with impressive waterfalls. By the time we came out through the narrows, the tide was starting to ebb. This was a wonderful way to round out our voyage.
There was a festive mood throughout our final cocktail hour and dinner. Everyone was excited and content with our fun-filled and eventful trip. There will be many memories and stories to bring home after such a magnificent expedition.
