Today is glacier day! We left Glacier Bay as the sun set last night and headed to Tracy Arm and South Sawyer Glacier. Along the way, naturalists on the bow spotted mountain goats – two sets of mom and kit pairs! We got out the spotting scope so guests could enjoy a close-up view. It is so special to see these animals scale the steep cliff sides. Next, the bridge team drew the nose of our ship extraordinarily close to two neighboring cascades of water gushing down rock faces. Since we are in a fjord system, the waters are very deep right up to the face of the rocks, which means the ship can get very close! After lunch, the deck team lowered the Zodiacs, and off we went – to the glacier! We explored icebergs and dramatic rock formations along the route to the face of South Sawyer Glacier. There is something awe-inspiring about being in the presence of glaciers – they are life changing. What a stunning day in Southeast Alaska. Tomorrow, we arrive in Petersburg!
9/5/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska
“Glacier Bay Day” is a naturalist’s delight, with its beautiful landscapes, plentiful wildlife, and the majesty of the wilderness. I spent much of the day on the bow, scouring my surroundings for creatures great and small with guests, staff, and crew alike. The day began with views of Lamplugh and Johns Hopkins Glaciers, the latter of which provided ample views of calving and harbor seals. As we continued our cruise through the bay, we were treated to glimpses of bald eagles, red throated loons, and harlequin ducks who flew in front of our bow. Terrestrial wildlife had their moment at Gloomy Knob, where well over a dozen mountain goats roamed the cliffside and four brown bears lumbered through the alluvial plains of the park. I considered the day’s highlight to be our evening cruise past South Marble Island. Tufted puffins, common murres, pelagic cormorants, and gulls of various clades took to the skies while sea otters, Steller sea lions, and a lone humpback whale provided an epic aquatic display.