Bright and early the next morning we left the mouth of the anchorage and headed up Tracy Arm. There was
a light fog that gradually lifted as Capt. Ron dodged floating ice and guided Ursa
Major toward South Sawyer Glacier. The views were incredible...luckily we had not become bored with
tumbling waterfalls and scenic views, and now we had the glacier ice, in many shapes and sizes, in deep shades
of turquoise and blue. The ice becomes very dense after being compressed for so long, giving it the deep colors.
Tracy Arm is home to two glaciers...North Sawyer and South Sawyer. The preceding several days had been quite
warm by Alaskan standards, possibly making the glacier calve more than usual. Capt Ron said this much ice
is not the norm.
There is no doubt that this was the most beautiful day of the entire trip. We must have 20 photos of this
days cruise. At the end we anchored back in the noname anchorage...to prepare for the trip home.
On this day in North Palm Beach, Florida (home) it was 92 degrees, 85% humidity. In
Tracy Arm it was around 50 degrees and we were freezing. (Yes, Tom and Frank, that is a Seacocks emblem
on my jacket) |
Only the top 1/3 of an iceberg floats above the water...the part underneath is often
sharp and pointed...and NOT good for boats. Another caution is that the bottom often melts before the
top, making the icebergs unstable...a good rule of thumb is to NOT climb onto one to get your picture
taken...the photo may only show a splash. |
The different shapes and colors of the ice... |
South Sawyer Glacier |
Another view of South Sawyer Glacier |
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