This morning, I overheard a comment from a guest to her partner, who had just joined us on the bow. “I was worried about you, but not worried enough to come find you,” she said. Those of us around her had to laugh. We understood. No one wanted to walk away, fear of missing anything. A very active group of transient (Bigg’s) killer whales captured our attention, moving fast, splashing, hunting, spy-hopping. They had already been preceded by pre-breakfast sighting of humpback whales, and those awake earlier enough saw a salmon shark. Our afternoon comprised kayaking and introductions to the Southeast Alaska rainforest with hikes at Lake Eva. What a day! Another comment overheard on the bow today: “We are setting the bar too high on Day One.”
6/15/2025
Read
National Geographic Sea Lion
Endicott Arm
Today, we embarked on a voyage through the breathtaking Endicott Arm, a 30-mile fjord carved by ancient glaciers. As our vessel glided through the jade-green waters, towering granite cliffs rose on either side, with cascading waterfalls fed by melting snowfields. The fjord's serene beauty was punctuated by the occasional splash of harbor seals diving from ice bergs and the distant sight of mountain goats navigating the rugged terrain. Approaching the terminus of the fjord, the awe-inspiring Dawes Glacier came into view. Standing over 500 feet tall and half a mile wide, its icy facade shimmered in hues of blue and white. We boarded Zodiacs to get a closer look, maneuvering through a maze of icebergs, each uniquely sculpted by nature. Suddenly, a thunderous crack echoed as a massive chunk of ice calved from the glacier, crashing into the water below and sending ripples across the fjord—a humbling reminder of nature's power. The journey through Endicott Arm was more than a scenic cruise, it was an intimate encounter with the raw, dynamic forces that shape Alaska's wilderness. The memories of shimmering glaciers, playful seals, and towering cliffs will linger, a testament to the allure of this pristine frontier.