Today we awoke at our anchorage in Haines, Alaska. The area around Haines was called Dtehshuh, or “end-of-the-trail” by the Chilkat group of the Tlingit. It received this name because they could portage their canoes via the trail they used to trade with the interior. The trail began at the outlet of the Chilkat River, ended at Dtehuhu, and saved 20 miles of paddling around the Chilkat Peninsula. Many different excursions were available today, including hiking, river rafting, biking, and fly fishing. If you desired, you could also explore the quaint fishing town and, if one was so inclined, visit the local brewery and distillery. There are many historical buildings and totem poles scattered around the town. The weather was dry and even sunny at times but, interestingly, it rained for about an hour in the middle of the day. Southeast Alaska always keeps us on our toes. We wrapped up the day with an amazing crab feast! It was a delicious end to a magical day.
9/5/2024
Read
National Geographic Sea Lion
Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness
It was hard to beat the final day of this voyage. On a misty morning in Tracy Arm Fjord, we were met with beautiful green waters and cascading falls down gorgeous mountain faces. We made our way up the winding fjord looking for wildlife and enjoyed the incredible scenery. In the morning, we headed out on Zodiac tours, viewing gorgeous turquoise icebergs and watching the face of South Sawyer Glacier. While appreciating harbor seals in the area, we learned about the natural history of the landscape and wildlife. We were lucky enough to even see the glacier calve. A splash and hearing the thunderous sound of the ice separating from the glacier face was extremely exciting! After a wonderful Zodiac trip, we cruised on the ship towards South Sawyer Glacier for our polar plunge. The ocean water is cold in Alaska, and even chillier when next to a glacier! However, we had some brave guests that wanted to take their plunge into the Alaskan waters. It was a wonderful experience cheering each other on and seeing others dive into the water. After the plunge, we visited a beautiful waterfall called “hole in the wall”. Guests were able to get close, getting covered in the mist of the waterfall. It was definitely a highlight of the trip. Overall, it was an exceptional day.