A combination of excitement, jetlag, and an (accidental) early wake-up call had us out on deck bright and early this morning. It was a beautiful day in Southeast Alaska and we were richly rewarded with a view of the Hole in the Rock waterfall. Shortly after we left the waterfall we saw two young brown bears foraging on a sandy beach. They gave us quite a show as they climbed on an iceberg on shore and wrestled each other on the sand. It was worth delaying stretch class to enjoy the first bears of the week. It had been an eventful day even before we had our breakfast!
In the spirit of adventure and small expedition travel we spent the rest of the morning braving the ice which has choked Tracy Arm. With the expertise of our experienced expedition landing craft drivers we were able to maneuver our way up to the face of South Sawyer glacier. The ice has kept other expeditions from getting into Tracy Arm this season so we were very lucky to get to spend some time in this scenic fjord. Along the way we saw mountain goats on the rocky cliff faces and harbor seals lounging around on the ice flows. The ice itself was a treat to see as well. We were surrounded by brilliant blue icebergs that looked like floating art sculptures. Of course South Sawyer was the real star of the morning when she dropped ice and silt into the water with her booming calving.
While the ship repositioned to our afternoon anchorage in William’s Cove we had an introduction to digital photography presentation with our photo instructor, Rich Kirchner. Most of us learned a few new things about our cameras. As we approached William’s Cove we saw a sow with her three cubs and we enjoyed a little more time bear watching. After we left the bears we spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the cove on foot and via kayaks. We got our first peek at the Tongass rain forest and our first chance to experience Southeast Alaska from a kayak. It was just enough to leave us wanting more and luckily we have five more glorious days together on this adventure!
