Misty Tracy Arm & Sand Bay
Magical mist hung from the sheer cliffs of Tracy Arm this morning as the Sea Lion wriggled its way through a puzzle of floating ice. Bundled up bodies boarded the Zodiacs to go even deeper into the fiord to investigate the substantial size of Sawyer Glacier and the sculptures of floating ice it has released. Pigeon guillemots and Arctic turns hovered above the water as harbor seals popped up for a curious look.
Wilderness Ranger, Kevin Hood, of the Tongass National Forest came on board this morning and talked about the many efforts made to keep the16.8 million acres of designated ‘wilderness’ intact and pristine. We followed him up on deck and felt the waters of ‘Hole in the Wall’ waterfall blow across the bow. The falls were running with such force that even the namesake hole could not be seen for the volume of water that cascaded towards us.
Glaciers were the topic of conversation in the afternoon. Naturalist Pete Pederson discussed how glaciers form, the ways they move, crack and change the landscape they scrape across. The mystery of hanging valleys, medial moraines, and the floating slabs of ice we encounter throughout this week will all hold a deeper meaning for those who attended Pete’s presentation.
At Sand Bay we took to the shore both by foot and by kayak. Paddling around the little islands of the bay provided wonderful views of an enormous bald eagle nest and the multitude of mussels, barnacles, and seaweed exposed by the falling tide. Hikers walked through meadows colorful with fireweed and Indian paintbrush flowers. One lucky group encountered a rough-skinned newt while another found the skull of a river otter. The calls of birds could be heard both near and far. It is amazing how seeped in enchantment are these delicate mists.
Magical mist hung from the sheer cliffs of Tracy Arm this morning as the Sea Lion wriggled its way through a puzzle of floating ice. Bundled up bodies boarded the Zodiacs to go even deeper into the fiord to investigate the substantial size of Sawyer Glacier and the sculptures of floating ice it has released. Pigeon guillemots and Arctic turns hovered above the water as harbor seals popped up for a curious look.
Wilderness Ranger, Kevin Hood, of the Tongass National Forest came on board this morning and talked about the many efforts made to keep the16.8 million acres of designated ‘wilderness’ intact and pristine. We followed him up on deck and felt the waters of ‘Hole in the Wall’ waterfall blow across the bow. The falls were running with such force that even the namesake hole could not be seen for the volume of water that cascaded towards us.
Glaciers were the topic of conversation in the afternoon. Naturalist Pete Pederson discussed how glaciers form, the ways they move, crack and change the landscape they scrape across. The mystery of hanging valleys, medial moraines, and the floating slabs of ice we encounter throughout this week will all hold a deeper meaning for those who attended Pete’s presentation.
At Sand Bay we took to the shore both by foot and by kayak. Paddling around the little islands of the bay provided wonderful views of an enormous bald eagle nest and the multitude of mussels, barnacles, and seaweed exposed by the falling tide. Hikers walked through meadows colorful with fireweed and Indian paintbrush flowers. One lucky group encountered a rough-skinned newt while another found the skull of a river otter. The calls of birds could be heard both near and far. It is amazing how seeped in enchantment are these delicate mists.
