Tracy Arm Fjord
From playing “Hide and Go Beep,” to watching a sow black bear and her two cubs on the rocky shoreline of Tracy Arm Fjord, to Zodiac cruising amongst the icebergs, to kayaking in the calm waters of Williams Cove. Our last day in Southeast Alaska has been full. The photo we share today documents young budding biologists tracking a black bear in Williams Cove. This hands-on exercise was led by National Geographic’s John Francis. While the exercise did not truly involve a black bear, the transmitter hidden along the shoreline and the receiver were authentic pieces of field equipment, as evidenced by their duct tape enhancements. To our surprise and delight a black bear did emerge from the woods while we practiced the skills of radio telemetry.
Our week has been jam-packed and our experiences diverse. Our younger travelers share with you their impressions in the form of poetry. Our shared time with family has been precious and the memories made this week will be treasured for a lifetime.
Whales
Humpback Whale
Mammal living in water
Fluking, breeching, feeding, calling, singing, migrating
Cooperatively feeding in very unique ways.
Sea mammal
Mitchell Buckley, Age 10
Hot cocoa tastes good,
Shirley Temples are better,
If only goldfish grew on trees.
A.J. McCallum, Age 9
Mountain goat falls down
Turns his smile into a frown
No more mountain goat.
Thomas Deeter, Age 16
Glacier
White Blue
Moving falling breaking
Shape ice sea chunks
Unmoving sitting amazing
Small big
Iceberg
Maggie Clapp, Age 9
Lady Alaska
Lady Alaska awakens from her slumber.
Strange and beautiful she is.
Bathed in azure glaciers,
As the white thunder rolls.
Alluring creatures great and small,
From the humpback’s mystic song,
To the Puffin’s cry.
As the salmon vie to continue their legacy.
The Northern lights paint the clear and placid sky, casting a brilliant glow upon her landscape.
And the sun, a shimmer on her pure waters.
The wings of the Sea Bird carry her pilgrims to her throne.
So her legend lives on, enshrined with lucid glory.
Lauren Mattioni, Age 15
Moon Majesties
A pearl among diamonds in the deep sky.
If you listen you’ll hear her low shallow song.
Belle of the ball dressed in brilliant stars,
An angels face hidden within her glow.
A pure white bowl of milk for the heavens.
Mother of night in her velvety robe
Glides across the sky, smothering all light.
Reaches out her love to sleeping children.
Dolphins dance across her sea of white
Queen of all the stars and the deepest nights.
Alight for the sorrowful black of night
The shining ice broken from the heavens.
A beautiful rose, a flower for the earth.
The thing that holds the sweet dreams of us all.
A Sonnet by Katie Hewes, Age 11
From playing “Hide and Go Beep,” to watching a sow black bear and her two cubs on the rocky shoreline of Tracy Arm Fjord, to Zodiac cruising amongst the icebergs, to kayaking in the calm waters of Williams Cove. Our last day in Southeast Alaska has been full. The photo we share today documents young budding biologists tracking a black bear in Williams Cove. This hands-on exercise was led by National Geographic’s John Francis. While the exercise did not truly involve a black bear, the transmitter hidden along the shoreline and the receiver were authentic pieces of field equipment, as evidenced by their duct tape enhancements. To our surprise and delight a black bear did emerge from the woods while we practiced the skills of radio telemetry.
Our week has been jam-packed and our experiences diverse. Our younger travelers share with you their impressions in the form of poetry. Our shared time with family has been precious and the memories made this week will be treasured for a lifetime.
Whales
Humpback Whale
Mammal living in water
Fluking, breeching, feeding, calling, singing, migrating
Cooperatively feeding in very unique ways.
Sea mammal
Mitchell Buckley, Age 10
Hot cocoa tastes good,
Shirley Temples are better,
If only goldfish grew on trees.
A.J. McCallum, Age 9
Mountain goat falls down
Turns his smile into a frown
No more mountain goat.
Thomas Deeter, Age 16
Glacier
White Blue
Moving falling breaking
Shape ice sea chunks
Unmoving sitting amazing
Small big
Iceberg
Maggie Clapp, Age 9
Lady Alaska
Lady Alaska awakens from her slumber.
Strange and beautiful she is.
Bathed in azure glaciers,
As the white thunder rolls.
Alluring creatures great and small,
From the humpback’s mystic song,
To the Puffin’s cry.
As the salmon vie to continue their legacy.
The Northern lights paint the clear and placid sky, casting a brilliant glow upon her landscape.
And the sun, a shimmer on her pure waters.
The wings of the Sea Bird carry her pilgrims to her throne.
So her legend lives on, enshrined with lucid glory.
Lauren Mattioni, Age 15
Moon Majesties
A pearl among diamonds in the deep sky.
If you listen you’ll hear her low shallow song.
Belle of the ball dressed in brilliant stars,
An angels face hidden within her glow.
A pure white bowl of milk for the heavens.
Mother of night in her velvety robe
Glides across the sky, smothering all light.
Reaches out her love to sleeping children.
Dolphins dance across her sea of white
Queen of all the stars and the deepest nights.
Alight for the sorrowful black of night
The shining ice broken from the heavens.
A beautiful rose, a flower for the earth.
The thing that holds the sweet dreams of us all.
A Sonnet by Katie Hewes, Age 11
