On this last full day of cruising through SE Alaska it was only appropriate that we ended up in the presence of glaciers... for it was the glaciers, combined with the geology and the geography of this region, which created the beauty we've been traveling through. Our morning began with our entrance into Tracy Arm... a classic fjord by all accounts. With it's steep granitic walls, U-shaped valleys entering in at its sides, and two tidewater glaciers at its headwaters, this fjord reminded us of the awesome power and impact of glacial advancement.

This past week we've learned that everything is inter-tied and inter-woven into a wonderful web of life. That geology is the "bedrock" upon which geography and climatology work together in harmony to create an environment for the regional flora and fauna. We've seen that the temperate rainforest of the Tongass National Forest is a unique ecosystem unlike anywhere else in the country... that it has a beauty beyond words.

Traveling through these waters... whether by ship or by kayak... we've gained a better understanding of this land that was once considered to be a frozen wasteland. Alaska is neither a "Seward's Folly," "Seward's Icebox," nor a "Walrussia." Rather, it is wondrous land that belongs to us all.

We've been fortunate to experience the wonders of this land firsthand. For it is through experience we come to appreciate the land, enjoy its beauty, and understand the need to protect it. Alaska is "The Great Land." May it always remain so.