Throughout our voyage on National Geographic Sea Lion, guests have been treated to more and more sunshine. On the final day of our journey, the reliable ship and caring crew delivered us to the face of Dawes Glacier. This glacier is part of the Stikine Icefield — just south of Juneau — and is located in Endicott Arm, a portion of the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness area. Guests on Zodiac tours were treated to some spectacular iceberg viewings as well as a few booming calving events. Calving occurs when a tidewater glacier is undercut by the incoming and outgoing tides on the face of the glacier. The overhanging portions of the glacier are thus connected by weakening threads of ice and are ultimately overtaken by their own weight. This all manifests in a majestic downfall — hundreds of feet of ice plunge into the water, creating a massive flow and the bellowing sound of “white thunder” throughout the valley.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 09 Jul 2023
Endicott Arm, Dawes Glacier, 7/9/2023, National Geographic Sea Lion
- Aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion
- Alaska
Kelly Morgan, Undersea Specialist
Kelly spent her childhood and adolescence in Maryland, exploring the wonders of the natural world wherever she could. This innate curiosity about the environment around her led Kelly to question why people and animals were driven to live their lives ...
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