We had a wonderful first day of our trip together. We woke up near the sandbar that marks the entrance to Tracy Arm. We spent the early morning on the bow, looking at seabirds and the incredible towering rock faces of the fjord. Upon sighting South Sawyer Glacier, we dropped our Zodiacs to explore this special place in Tracy Arm-Fords Terror National Wilderness. We were lucky from the beginning. We saw three mountain goats grazing on impossibly high vegetation on the rock walls around us. As we moved closer to the face of the glacier, harbor seals inquisitively popped their heads up from all sides of our Zodiacs. We even got the chance to see some pretty remarkable calving events. During and after lunch, we enjoyed the views from National Geographic Sea Bird as we cruised towards Williams Cove near the mouth of Tracy Arm. Here, we all went ashore to explore and get our first taste of the temperate rainforest of Southeast Alaska. It was a beautiful afternoon with clear views of the nearby mountains and with lots to discover in the forest – we even enjoyed some snacking on salmonberries, blueberries, and watermelon berries along the way. We were happy to be off to such a great start!
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 22 Aug 2023
Tracy Arm, South Sawyer Glacier, and Williams Cove, 8/22/2023, National Geographic Sea Bird
- Aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird
- Alaska
Gemina Garland-Lewis, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Gemina Garland-Lewis is a professional documentary photographer based in Baja California Sur, Mexico, with experience in over 30 countries across seven continents. Her photography explores the myriad connections between humans, animals, and their sha...
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Alaska Escape: Haines, the Inian Islands and Tracy Arm Fjord
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