[Endicott arm, AK, Aug 3, 2024]

For our last full day on this cruise, we had another tidewater glacier viewing to look forward to. Overnight, the boat sailed down Endicott Arm, one of the fjords in the Boundary area south of Juneau. Endicott and nearby Tracy Arm, which runs parallel, are the most popular with visitors. Both fjords have a glacier at the end.

In the morning, the Wilderness Explorer tucked into a small bay deep into the Endicott arm not far from the glacier. This was going to be our location for the morning activities. We picked the open paddle, which meant we could kayak around the bay on our own. Although we were still miles from Dawes glacier, there were many pieces of ice in the water. Other signs of the glacier’s proximity were the numerous waterfalls coming down the cliff walls as well as the creamy color of the water.

We saw a pair of bald eagles on a tree. The photos below are progressively zoomed in. Can you spot them in each photo?

We got really close to one piece of ice, and other kayaks after us did the same. Next thing we knew, a skiff came over from our boat with one of the guides. He had a chat with the people in the kayak and advised them to not get so close to the ice. It’s estimated that only 20% of an iceberg is above water, so even though it looked small on top, it was much bigger on the bottom. Icebergs can flip, and if a kayak finds itself nearby, it could become dangerous.

After our activity, I ducked into the hot tub, while Olivia got ready for the polar plunge! It was organized by our crew, some of whom also participated! It took place in the back of the boat off the kayak dock. I went down there just long enough to witness Olivia jump into the water. Even if I were a good swimmer, I would not get in that water! Kuddos to everyone who participated…. and thank you for leaving the hot tub to me.

The boat sailed to the glacier while we had lunch. Taking a skiff tour was the only activity option, so all 76 passengers took turns going on one. Olivia and I were on one of the first boats. We saw a pretty big calving, but I only caught the end of it on video.

We hung out about a quarter mile from the glacier for a while. Our guide, McKenzie, fished out a giant piece of ice from the water and we each held it. Because one cycle of accumulation and melt takes place over hundreds of years, we were certain that the ice we held now fell as snow in the beginning of the glacier centuries ago.

McKenzie fished out another, smaller piece of ice from the water and started hacking away at it with her knife. I wasn’t sure what she was doing until she pulled out a bottle of peppermint schnapps from her bag and explained that she had made an ice luge! We took turns drinking it from the ice luge. It made for hilarious photos!

After the schnapps, it was time for some hot chocolate. We may have added some peppermint schnapps to it. It was quite the luxurious skiff tour with all these amenities!

Even though we were busy with the beverages, we couldn’t help but notice a bit of commotion in the sky above us. We watched in dismay as an Arctic tern chased a gull, which is twice its size. Given their size, it’s amazing that they migrate from one pole to the other every year. They are so lightweight that they can coast on ocean breezes for miles without having to flap their wings. They can even sleep while gliding.

I parked myself in the hot tub again after our skiff tour. I was overlooking the glacier and I even saw the tail end of another big calving. I thought all the tours were done by then, but it turned out one of the skiffs was there and one of the passengers even caught the calving on camera!

Alas, it was time for the boat to continue sailing towards Juneau. We packed our suitcases and went down for the last dinner of the cruise, the captain’s dinner. The captain did indeed come down for dinner, although he sat at another table. He gave a short speech at the end. It was nice to see all the staff together and take a group photo of them as we thanked them for their outstanding service.

The evening concluded with a presentation by the guides. They had gone through all the photos from the week and created a slide show with the best of them. It was fun to see our fellow passengers on the activities we didn’t get to do. Seeing all the photos from the week at once made us realize all the more how amazing this cruise was!

And just like it had on the preceding two nights, the aurora borealis made an appearance yet again! This was her strongest showing yet! What a way to end our last night on the boat!