A light drizzle was falling as our rubberized boat bounced gently on the
swells in the Tracy Arm, a narrow gorge in Southeast Alaska. A half-mile ahead of us was the face of the South Sawyer Glacier, a massive ice field that was sporadically calving huge chunks of ice with a muffled
boom. But the 10 of us in the boat weren't here to look at icebergs, though we were surrounded by them, from the size of serving trays to some larger than a three-bedroom house. Our target on this adventure cruise was a colony of seals who made this inhospitable corner of the world
their home.
Our pilot nudged his way past some car-sized 'bergs and slowed the
Zodiac. "Look ahead," he told us, "the seals are on that large flat iceberg. They look like black sausages."
Perhaps, but several of these sausages were moving, sliding off their ice home into the water, where they began swimming rapidly toward us. The seals surfaced occasionally, poking just their heads above the water
to get a closer look at the interlopers in their mist-filled world. After coming to within 10 yards of us, the three seals took one last look and dove a final time, apparently finding us far less interesting than we found
them.
This close encounter with Alaska's wildlife, a moment that seemed more
suited for a National Geographic or Discovery Channel nature documentary, was one of the high points in our cruise last May on the American Safari Cruise Line's Safari Quest, a 120-foot yacht that can accommodate 21 guests. This was not our first cruise to Alaska--we had gone before on a large Holland-America Line ship. But that cruise proved unsatisfying: except for sightings of eagles, we saw no bears or whales. That would change on this small-ship cruise, which focuses more on wildlife than shopping.
Our seven-day cruise began in Juneau, Alaska's capital, and visited places that are not on most cruise ship itineraries in the largest state. Our stops included
* The Sawyer Glaciers, where we had our encounter with a field of icebergs and the colony of harbor seals, but also spotted black bear and mountain goats on the steep walls of the Tracy Arm passage.
* Sunset Island, an uninhabited rocky shore topped with a thick stand of evergreen and moss. The rugged island was home to a colony of perhaps 200 stiller sea lions. Here we saw the huge male sea lions doing battle, "fencing" with their thick necks. The losers wound up in the sea. We also spotted orcas (killer whales) and humpback whales, harbor porpoise and harbor seals, and, on nearby shores, five black bears.
* Brook Island, another uninhabited island that we stopped to visit. Hiking here was an experience: the moss floor was so thick and spongy it was like walking on foam rubber. The tidal pools were filled with mussels and other strange life forms, and a small Sitka deer, startled by our arrival, in turn scared us by dashing through our group while we were sitting on the beach. And later in the day our ship passed by a pod of humpback whales, which rose from the water in spectacular jumps.
* Admiralty Island, where we anchored off shore in a cove that was home to a fishing camp. Here passengers kayaked the quiet waters while others stood bear watch--scanning the nearby shores with binoculars for bears. A brown bear and her cub were spotted.
* Kake, a small and quiet Tinglit tribal village, where we visited a salmon hatchery and sampled smoked salmon. Before we left, a family of Native Americans from the village came aboard to share their songs and dances with us. Afterward, we cruised to Baranof Warms Springs, a narrow cove with perhaps a dozen fishing lodges, a dramatic thundering waterfall and hot springs. Some passengers trekked back to the springs for a soothing soak while others stopped by a small general store for a cappuccino.
* Gustavius, our gateway to Glacier Bay. The rock beach here had 66--count 'em--eagles on the hunt for sea life left behind by high tide. After driving into town for a lunch, we then headed for the airport, encountering a huge black bear that was crossing the road ahead of us. At the airport, most the Quest's passengers boarded small planes for a flightseeing over Glacier Bay National Park. We had last seen Glacier Bay 10 years before, and it was magnificent then. From the air, it is even more awesome, though this time some of the glaciers had receded from the shore and were no longer forming icebergs in the sea.
During our flight, we got close-up looks at the ice-blue ridges and ravines of the glaciers. We also saw 10 mountains goats and three black bears. Another group spotted a moose, the one animal we didn't get to see on this cruise.
* Chihagof Island, another quiet overnight anchorage but one whose shores attracted a number of brown bears. Here we spotted six prowling the shore for food in the early evening.
* Sitka, our final stop, was our first real city since we left Juneau. Here we visited the restored St. Michael's Russian Orthodox Church, shopped for gifts and hiked in a rain forest.
The emphasis on this cruise was on nature. Lee Burrow, a naturalist, was on board to show nature videos and discuss what we would see during the day. She then helped us spot the various animals.
As on most small yachts, the central salon was the main gathering area, home to the bar, the television, reference books and comfortable chairs and sofas. Large picture windows allowed us to scan the shore from the comfort of the salon, though the outside deck was just a few steps away when we encountered whales or bears. The dress was always casual, though binoculars were de rigeur, for you never knew when whales, seals or bears might be spotted.
The cabins were comfortable, though simple. Each had a bath and bedrooms ranged from bunk beds, in one cabin, to queen size beds with large picture windows. The Quest also held a hot tub, deck chairs and kayaks.
Dining was communal, with only lunch and dinner served at fixed hours. The food was generally very good, featuring Alaska's fresh seafood, and a good choice of red and white wines.
Shore experiences include the flightseeing; a kayak journey
up a small stream to a grotto of solid marble; a beach hike and swimming (in cold water). As fine as these adventures were, none compared to the exhilaration of spotting a mother bear and cub, a pod of whales or a family or orcas.
* * *
Safari Quest offers eight-night cruise packages from Sitka to Juneau and Juneau to Sitka. The cruise package includes a night's pre-cruise hotel stay in city the cruise starts in. Departure dates are between May 12 until the last
cruise Sept. 8. Prices start at $4,695 per person, double occupancy.
American Safari Cruises also has a 12-passenger Safari Spirit, which offers an eight-night itinerary between Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and Juneau. Departures start on May 5, with the last departure September 1. Prices start at $5,195 per person, double occupancy.
During April, early May and September, both yachts sail an 11-day, ten-night "Inside Passage Explorer" itinerary between Vancouver, B.C. and Juneau. The itinerary includes Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Prince Rupert, Lowe Inlet, Alert Bay, (small Indian village) Bishops Bay and the natural hot springs there, and Foggy Cove. Safari Quest prices start at $3,695 and the safari Spirit prices start at $3,895. Both are per person, double occupancy prices.
For a free color brochure or details on charters, call American Safari Cruises toll-free at 888/862-8881 or visit the Web site at http://www.americansafari cruises.com.
(c) 1999 Larry Fox and Barbara Radin Fox