This is our third Sunday onboard, but we will not be going to Glacier Bay because all of the permits have been stopped for the season. We were initially disappointed, but the substitute of Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier proved to be a good one. Right after breakfast, we bundled up to go outside and watch our trek into this fjord about 9am. It's been many years since we did this run when we were on the Amsterdam. At that time, we sure do not remember seeing much. Today was a different story.
This entire area of Tracy Arm/Ford Terror Wilderness consists of 650,000 acres of pristine wilderness with sheer walled fjords that include Endicott Arm. Each of these fjords are 30 miles long with tidewater glaciers at the end. The last two weeks, the ship dropped off a group of guests that took an excursion up Tracy Arm to see North Sawyer Glacier. Today there is no tour, so all of us can view the fjord and the glacier from the ship.
Reportedly, this wilderness is home to brown and black bears, mountain goats, wolves, bald eagles, harbor seals, whales, and sea lions. Where were they today? Who knows……
The secret of today's success with photos had to be the appearance of the sun when the clouds parted. Patches of blue sky added the color needed to make things pop. The scenery of the tall granite cliffs studded with evergreen firs and hemlocks was stunning. Even more so when the sun hit the glistening wet cliffsides and also the large floating icebergs. Today we saw the most icebergs, growlers, and bergie bits compared to Glacier Bay.
The sailing into the fjord took almost 3 hours. We spent the entire time on deck six forward along with a lot more people that found their way up here. The bow was opened at 9:30am, and wildlife guide, Kainoa, began his scenic narration earlier than planned. His commentary did get broadcasted on all outside decks, but there were so many people where we were, that we could not hear him well over the chatter surrounding us.
The color of the water in this fjord took on shades of aqua, emerald green, and milky silt. With the sun peeking out, the trees were brilliant green and some fall color had begun with some deciduous trees and shrubs. Even the granite cliffs revealed veins of orange and red, while the threads of waterfalls made for a truly scenic sailing.
Down on the bow deck, they set up a table with the hot coffee/chocolate and your choice of alcohol to spice it up. A long line of cold people were happy campers enjoying the hot drinks. At 10am, piping hot pea soup was served on all outer decks. It's a bit early for us, but we know they will have it in the dining room tonight.
It was really cold, even though it was 57 degrees, it felt much colder than that. The deeper we got into the fjord, we did see some flocks of birds which we believe to be surf scoters. Some folks near us thought they were puffins. There were various types of gulls here and there, but not a lot. We searched each and every iceberg for harbor seals, but saw none. When we arrived to the Dawes Glacier, it was quite impressive. The face is very high at hundreds of feet and one mile wide. Judging from the ice in the water, we figured we might see calving. But it never happened. You know that a watched glacier does not calf. Probably when we are around the bend when no one can see it, that will occur.
The Captain stayed for a while, then turned the ship slowly so everyone had a chance to see it. We stayed until 12:30pm before heading back to our room to warm up. We still had a great view from our window as we sailed back to the opening. Good time to sort through the photos….there were hundreds of those.
Lunch was at 2:30pm in the Lido. Salad and sandwiches and pizza filled us up. Every window seat was filled with folks that may have spent the morning there and never moved. They took pictures with cell phones and real cameras, then fell asleep for a bit. We are sure that the same thing happened in the Crow's Nest as people will go there at 6am to get the perfect chairs. We prefer to be out in the elements and feel the experience as well as see it. If you are dressed properly, it is very enjoyable.
Around 6pm, we were watching out our window, and saw a whale right alongside the ship. It dove straight down, exposing the tail. You just have to be in the right place at the right time. Pure luck. Earlier at 4pm, we had walked the promenade deck, but saw no wildlife. We are sailing at a good clip as we need to be in Ketchikan by 11am tomorrow.
Tonight's attire was casual with a splash of orange. It was Dutch Dinner night in the dining room featuring some of the flavors of Holland. The only starter we had that was Dutch was the pea soup. It was very hot and filled us up. Mains were one pork cordon bleu and one roasted chicken with fries. We shared the other Dutch treat – a Bossche Bol – chocolate-coated cream puff. So good.
There was the usual Orange Party in the Crow's Nest at 9pm. The other option was showtime with Chris Bannister singing tunes from influential artists from the 1970's. The third option was turning in after a long day at sea. Oh yeah, on our way out of the dining room, we noticed that the library has been re-stocked with all brand new books. We figure this will be ready for the Legendary Tales of the South Pacific.
Bill & Mary Ann
