Ice

Saturday, July 17, 2010
Today up at 5:30 and down to the lounge to make coffee. Flip Nicklin, the NatGeo photographer is the only one there - up and working on his laptop, editing photos from yesterday. Back up to the bow to appreciate our entry into Tracy Arm Fjord

Morning Fog

. Fog hangs in layers and obscures the upper levels of this deep canyon. Ice is dotting the water in in all shapes, sizes and colors. Pure white, ranging into deep blue of the densest ice

Whale Sighting

. The water becomes the aqua blue green as we near South Sawyer Glacier. For a time I am the only one up on deck and soon others slowly arrive, cameras in hand. Just photographing the ice floes could keep us busy all day – there is that much variety of shape, color and lighting. Deeper into the twisting canyon Flip chuckles because he knows the captain has maneuvered to make the most dramatic sighting of the glacier around the last turn. I take video of the approach and Flip is humming the National Geographic theme behind me as the glacier comes into view. Wow.

South Sawyer

After breakfast, zodiacs take us closer to the glacier in the other side canyon – Sawyer Glacier – for some reason, NOT North Sawyer Glacier. Lots of ice in the water and waterfalls cascade from the cliffs above. We get close enough to appreciate the power of the ice as the glacier calves off huge sections of ice, falling with thunderous booms. Close enough is still far out of harms way, but Gretchen, our zodiac driver, moves clear of the bigger patches of ice chunks, so they don't bang into us as the swell bobs the zodiacs. Exciting stuff.

Reflections

Big Ice

Sun is Out

Exciting Calving

Back to the Ship

Blue Wall

Waterline

Close Look

Sea Bird

Last Kayaks

Sierra on the Bow

Chatham Strait Sighting

Thursday, July 15, 2010
Quarter of six and in my sleep I feel the ship slow its engines. The back of my brain realizes
that usually means a sighting of some sort. Up and dressed and to the bow, I find two others who had the same thought, but all is quiet. The captain is just cursing slower, in an area where whales are know to feed. Back to the room, then down to the lounge to make some coffee and wander the ship and look at the scenery where Icy Strait and Chatham Strait meet.

Orca Breach

Three

Two

Moving Off

Quarter of seven and there is a gentle announcement on the PA that killer whales are ahead.
Fantastic. Soon everyone is on deck to see one whale breaching in the distance. It is with a small pod of five or six who are soon very close to the ship. Cameras click in rapid bursts each time a fin or a back breaks the surface. They weave back and forth, crossing under the ship from time to time. They seem comfortable with us and it is a great sighting as we stay with them for half an hour. Later, naturalist Pete will work with the young passengers to get them to
identify the individual whales comparing some of today's photos with a catalog of know killer whales.

The Alaskan brown bears that we saw on the whale carcass yesterday are the coastal variant of
the grizzly, and there are said to be three bears per square mile, on average . In the afternoon, we make landings at Saook Bay for hikes in the woods around this beautiful bay. Big meadow at the back of the bay with snowy peaks in the distance. Walking through the woods is easy following well established bear trails, and we are reminded of that every fifty feet or so by mounds of bear scat. Linda, our leader today lives in bear country, and is keeping an eye out for bears. We don't see any in the woods, but when returning along a narrow strip between high tide and tree line, we spot one coming our way on the trail. Retreating onto a spit of land, Linda reminds us of bear protocol while we wait for it to pass. Bunch into a group, don't run, and plan A is be prepared to make a lot of noise. Plan B is pepper spray. He passes warily on HIS trail without need for plan A or plan B. Adrenaline levels are definitely. The tide is up too so we make a radio call for a zodiac pick-up from our little spit and back to the Sea Bird.

Salmonberries

Along the Cove

MY Woods, MY Trail

Sea Bird

Later, we move off to the South and have a fine evening light before slowing for a close view of a sweet little waterfall, with a long name.

Chilly Sunset

Falls

Read more: http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jhunter319/6/1279298682/tpod.html#ixzz1ptNtStmd

Glacier Bay

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Following

Diving

Tufted Puffin

We anchor overnight near the mouth of Glacier Bay and in the morning we pick up national park Ranger Jeannine as a an interpreter for the day. The number of daily vessels in the park is limited and each one is assigned a ranger guide. She is peppy and great with the kids onboard – must have been a teacher.

Pete and Gretcen

Cloudy, rain, and it is getting colder. Bundle up to go out to the bow for sightings of moose, puffins, whales, and sea lions as we head north towards the glaciers. The water color gradually turns a beautiful pale turquoise green as the water contains more glacial runoff.

Fog is Lifting

As we go north the fog and rain clears off a bit and the glaciers at the end of the bay are spectacular. We stop for half an hour to listen and are rewarded by a couple of ice calving events with blocks of ice falling to the water with resounding booms. Nearby someone spots an orange tent on the shoreline and soon the campers head out to join us at the glacier face.

They Camped Nearby

Icy Water

Glacier Face

We eventually leave and the ship makes more stops at other glaciers and (highlight) at brown bears feeding on a whale carcass. The bears saunter along the beach towards the whale, which was first spotted in March. For three months the carcass has attracted all manner of scavenger, and they are not done yet. When the get there they are in no particular hurry, but just pick at a few places before playing a little in the water. There is plenty to eat here, and the whale is just one element in their diet - berry season lasts a long time.

Bears Eating Whale

Off

Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Sunday in Sitka is slower than other days. In the morning it is raining pretty hard, but later it just rains kind of hard. I wander town and shops until I can board the Sea Bird at 5:00. While walking, I spot two people in National Geographic fleece jackets, and introduce myself to Pete and Gretchen Peterson, two naturalists on the boat, who are also killing time in town. Near the dock is the Larkspur Cafe where I stop for lunch and hang out for a while listening to a table of musicians jamming on guitar, stand up base, and mouth organ. That eats some time, but Larkspur closes at 2 and there is still three hours to kill until 5 finally comes and I am the second person to check in. Everyone on-board finally and crew introductions lead to cocktails, then casting off down the channel to the north.

Two days on the Sea Bird blend together into morning/afternoon activities on zodiac, kayak, or walking in the shore

. A couple of days establishes a relaxed routine of sign up sheets, dressing in raingear and boots, and boarding zodiacs for heading out. On shore the forests are wet and boggy and I am glad that I paid attention to all the trip literature that talked about the need for BOOTS in capital letters. I have bought a pair of Extratuff knee high boots in Sitka and I am dry in ankle deep mud and water. As we head north there are more and more humpback whales and one group gives a fine show of breaching at sunset on Monday.

Tuesday morning I am up at 6, thinking it is 7 because I didn't reset my bedside clock. I open my cabin door to find that the ship has pulled in near a group of maybe 15 sea otters, who are relaxing and dining on clams and crabs. I have never seen a group this large before. In the morning, I go out on a zodiac with Gretchen for a two hour trip around the Inian Islands, close to an inlet from the Pacific that produces amazing tides and currents that stir up all manner of food for sea lions, sea otters, eagles and whales.

 It is quite a show. We cut the engine to drift quietly past a large group of sea lions on the shore. Peaceful, until a sea lion surfaces about two feet behind me with a loud exhale that sends the man next to me three feet in the air. Whales spouting in the distance come our way and surprise us by by passing between us and the shore, about 50 yards away.

  The side of the island is so steep that the whales must be 20 feet from the shore. I can't wait to post all the action through the ship's satellite internet link - only problem is that the link is broken if the ship is pointing north. We've been heading north for two days now. More later