The southernmost tidewater glacier in North America is situated only a short distance from the fishing town of Petersburg. Although miles from our morning anchorage, the glacier’s presence was conspicuous due to immense icebergs, bergie bits, and growlers that clustered near the mouth of the fjord. Many stood firmly against the tidal current, grounded in the shallows where the glacier had deposited rocky rubble long ago. We scrambled into the expedition landing craft for a chance to get close-up views of these ice-blue sculptures. Frozen dragons, swans, and whales rose from the teal-blue water. Real-life seals, harbor porpoises, and tiny puffin relatives called marbled murrelets appeared as we maneuvered between the bergs. We climbed out of the boats onto shore to touch glacial ice stranded by the dropping tide. Seaweed blanketed the intertidal area, where we discovered whelks, sea stars, and other treasures before resuming our cruise and returning to the ship.
Petersburg is a working town, not at all a gift-shop mecca for cruise ships travelers. During lunch the officers deftly entered the small harbor to tie up at the dock for our full afternoon of activities. Flightseeing by floatplane was a highlight for some, while others opted for bicycling, strolling the town, or joining naturalists for a variety of walks. Much of the fishing fleet was away, but it was interesting to learn more about the gear and rigging of those that lay quietly in their slips. Colorful anemones clung beneath the dock, filtering plankton and other foods from the nutrient-rich sea. A photo walk through town appealed to a number of people, and many chose to hike on nearby Kupreanof Island to explore a muskeg, or peat bog where specialized plants grow from sodden moss in a fairyland of dwarfed trees. A few of the younger guests took advantage of the opportunity to fish from the dock and succeeded in landing a number of herring, a flounder, and a sculpin. The warm, sunny afternoon lingered into evening as we feasted on Dungeness crab picked up in town. A brilliant sunset painted the sky, and lunge-feeding humpback whales provided a spectacular ending to a fabulous day.
