Our voyage north from Seattle wasn’t without some ‘weather’. A localised gale in the Juan de Fuca Straits, (fortunately just wind, as the seas don’t have too much room to build) and then, once out into the Pacific, a reasonably large swell; the remnants of last week’s gales.
Early Tuesday morning found us entering the Alaska Inside Passage at Cape Ommaney, mile-marker 800, in the Chatham Strait. On our port side, Baranof Island and to starboard, Kuiu Island. A brisk north wind makes for a strong wind across the decks as we made for the South-East Alaska pilot station off Cornwallis Point, near the small town of Kake.
It promised to be a lovely day, however, as is the norm, Alaska never ceases to remind you that she will not give up that easily and the morning fog descended.
(Double-click a photo to get an enlarged, hi-res option)
Whistle sounding, we navigated our way north, officers intent on the radar. Occasionally there is break in the fog, fleeting glimpses of the seas before it rolls in again. We call the skipper of the pilot boat and inquire as to the visibility at his station, “I can see 10 miles” is his reply; good, we can manage this and still have a nice day. Sure enough, the fog begins to break, although it still hangs in the near-coast area, where the wind is calm.
The top of Kuiu Island looms above the fog bank
As we make the turn from Chatham into Frederick Sound, its like another planet; the wind drops, the sun bursts out and the vista before us is breathtaking, Alaska in all its beauty.
The pilot boat slowly making its approach
Having embarked our pilots, (they stay with us all the way through to Ketchikan), we increase speed and make for Tracy Arm, a majestic fjord. We do some whale spotting as we head north, however although we sight a few, they are not in the large numbers we have seen previously, the ‘feed’ must have moved.
Crossing the ‘Bar’, the site of the terminal moraine, (the ‘old’ face of the glacier), the depth changes, over 400 feet before we cross to 80 feet at the Bar and then back to 400 again.
Approaching the narrow channel entrance, over the ‘Bar’.
As we do so, the ‘hanging’ Sumdum glacier looms above us.
Then we’re through and ‘ice dodging’ for the next 30 miles. We are told that the area near Sawyer glacier, our destination, is choked with ice and impenetrable, however the route is through magnificent scenery and hey, the sun is shining too.
Bergy bits aground on the Bar and on shore
Once over the Bar, we progress through the fjord
It twists……….
….and turns
Dramatic walls lose vegetation, leaving bare, glistening, slippery rock
Mountainous peaks
and huge chunks of ice from the calving at Sawyer glacier
Some crisp and white…
..others dirty from the mud and gravel displaced by the glacier
It is quite an ordeal navigating through the vast amounts of ice, far more so than I have seen this season, it does not bode well, if it’s like this here, then the head of the fjord must have much more…..
Sure enough, after the last turn, the ice greets us
I have to stop, going through this much ice can damage propellers, tending to ruin my day….
I do however mange to get a sufficient angle that our guests can at least see the Sawyer and, having stayed for 45 minutes, it is time to wend our way back.
Crossing the Bar once more we only need 8 knots to make our ETA in Juneau the next day. Frederick Sound is calm, the sun is shining, what to do? On every cruise, we try to create ‘Magic moments’ and here was my opportunity. In the distance, to the south, we could see the tell-tale sight of whales blowing, high misty plumes catching the sun. We slowly moved south and, wondering where our humpbacks had gone, we stopped our propellers and drifted in the calm seas. Over to port, a small Alaska-based cruise ship had done the same and we suddenly notice the spout of a whale near her. Then it was our turn, with a glorious orange sky from the setting sun, the whales frolicked around us as we drifted; stateroom balconies were packed and the occasional scream of delight could be heard through the still air, so still in fact that one could hear the whales exhaling quite clearly. We stayed for over an hour and then slowly turned to head north for Juneau.
A glorious sunset
Plenty of whale tails
..and even an obliging whale which posed in the setting sun.
Stopped and drifting, this one became quite inquisitive
To the north, a magnificent sky
I write from Juneau and nope, I haven’t got ashore yet, 🙂 today I attended a very interesting course on ‘Strength Deployment Inventory’. It looks complicated, however it deals with aspects of ones character and how to deal with different people and become a better leader….T’was indeed absorbing.
