The geology of Southeast Alaska took center stage today as we toured the extraordinary fjord of Endicott Arm in the Tracy Arm/Ford’s Terror Wilderness. The narrow inlet is bound by nearly vertical cliffs of granite and gneiss cut by innumerable white intrusions of quartz and feldspar. The ancient bedrock displays the interaction between several magma bodies that formed deep in the crust more than 70 million years ago and has only recently been exposed by the retreat of the Dawes Glacier.
The Dawes is one of four tidewater glaciers that flow westward from the Stakine Icefield that lies astride the border between the United States and Canada. Morning ice tours in the inflatable DIBS began at 8:30 and guests were shuttled up close (but not too close) to the nearly 200-foot-high cliff of ice. In the water we spied our now familiar harbor seals swimming around and resting on the icebergs and “bergey bits.” In the air were numerous birds. We identified glaucous wing and mew gulls along with a surprisingly large number of Bonaparte gulls. A highlight for birders was the occasional sight of the Arctic tern flying above the ice and water. These rather delicate-looking birds have one of the most arduous migrations in all of the animal kingdom, flying from the Arctic to the Antarctic each year!
As we took in the beauty of the landscape and the wildlife, the glacier came to life. With a loud crack of “white thunder,” an enormous block of ice collapsed, sending waves toward us as we watched in awe from the safety of our inflatable craft.
After lunch, we repositioned the National Geographic Sea Lion a few miles down the inlet and launched our kayaks for the afternoon excursions. Several small but beautiful waterfalls fell from the steep forested slopes and seemed to beckon the kayakers to nose-in for a closer look. The wind was calm and the sky opened a bit to allow the occasional view of the glacier and the mountain peaks in the distance.
One final activity was planned and executed with flawless precision: The Polar Plunge into the icy water of Endicott Arm. All told, 12 hardy souls checked this box on the bucket list while the rest of the guests and staff shivered on the bow. All survived to earn a hot chocolate or other beverage of choice along with a well-deserved hot shower.
