Today, National Geographic Sea Bird visited the South Sawyer Glacier. The fjord leading up to the glacier is lined with high and rugged snowcapped mountain peaks, gorgeous waterfalls, and stunning wildlife. In 1879, naturalist John Muir visited the Tracy Arm Fjord. He described the area as, “shut in by sublime Yosemite cliffs, nobly sculptured, and adorned with waterfalls and fringes of trees, bushes and patches of flowers.” This quote captures the same essence and beauty of the Tracy Arm Fjord that we experienced today. But John Muir was never visited by pirates delivering hot chocolate via Zodiac! Dressed in pirate regalia, National Geographic Sea Bird’s fantastic hospitality team delivered hot chocolate topped with whipped cream to guests on Zodiacs as they toured the glacier. After this, we dropped anchor in Williams Cove at the west end of the fjord for a fabulous bushwhack along brown bear trails. Ah, the spirit of exploration!
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 21 Jul 2024
Tracy Arm and Williams Cove, 7/21/2024, National Geographic Sea Bird
- Aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird
- Alaska
Giovanni Cappelli, Naturalist
Gio, a seasoned naturalist with an unyielding passion for the great outdoors, has built his life around a profound connection to nature. Raised in upstate New York, his formative years were marked by an innate fascination with the natural world, a cu...
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Alaska Escape: LeConte Bay, Wrangell and Misty Fjords
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5/21/2025
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Wrangell, Alaska
We arrived early to the town of Wrangell, excited to get the activities underway for our morning ashore. The excursion options included a jet boat tour up the Stikine River, a visit to the Shake’s house (traditional Long House), and investigating petroglyphs on a local beach. We returned to National Geographic Sea Bird for a delicious lunch and then went out for the afternoon activities. The options included a visit to the town museum and a hike up Mt. Dewey. We had lovely weather for our wonderful day of exploring.
5/20/2025
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Cascade Creek/Ruth Island Petersburg, Alaska
The misty Alaska landscape was no stranger to us this morning as we woke to anchor in Thomas Bay. Our expedition today took us on tours around more of the Tongass National Forests’ splendor. We embarked on trails to see the falls of Cascade Creek, which were immensely powerful, casting misty spray across the forest of Western hemlock and Sitka spruce. Everything in the forest was incredibly dense, with life in all areas of the over and understory. In the afternoon, we explored Ruth Island, this time bushwacking along a tributary to make our way up to a beaver-dammed pond. The sight was fantastical, set among the forest with reed grass, toads, passerines, and even dense clumps of sundew. Guests adventured with large smiles on their faces as we felt the presence of wild Alaska.