Workshop Overview :: Glacial Giants

Join us on this seven-day photographic expedition, and photograph the scenic wonders of Alaska's Inside Passage aboard the Kirsten Anne, a luxurious 49' sailboat operated by our captain Neil Nickerson, and Alaska Sailing Charters. The Kirsten Anne offers an outstanding platform from which to photograph the incomparable tidewater glaciers and migrating humpback whales of Alaska. Adventurous photographers of all ages, especially those wishing to experience Alaska in comfort, will love exploring LeConte Glacier Bay, The Brothers, and Ford's Terror Wilderneess aboard this handsome boat.

Starts in :Petersburg, Alaska

Ends in: Juneau, Alaska

Duration: Seven days

Distance: 240 miles

Price: $2,800 to $3,325

Activities: Photography, whale watching, wildlife observation, sea kayaking, hiking.

Highlights: Paddling among the icebergs, observing bears on the beach, photography, listening to tidewater glaciers, viewing fantastic scenery, seals on icebergs, wilderness solitude, hiking through true wilderness.

Trip dates: See Workshops for currently available trips and prices.

Reservations: Please Contact Us for more information, or to book this workshop!

Trip Itinerary

While we have a carefully planned schedule, each trip may differ slightly, depending upon wind and tides, weather conditions, wildlife viewing opportunities, and the goals of participants. Plan to arrive in Petersburg, Alaska on a regularly scheduled Alaska Airlines flight, on the day prior to our trip departure. You will have the afternoon and evening free, to explore the shops in quaint Petersburg! Then you can grab an early Alaskan dinner (on your own), in one of the many small restaurants in town. We will provide you with a list of lodges, including the Scandia House Hotel.

Day 1: A long and exciting day awaits us. After an early breakfast (on your own), passengers are invited to come aboard the Kirsten Anne at 8:00 a.m. The crew will familiarize you with your quarters, and show you where to stow your gear. We depart for our short cruise into LeConte Glacier Bay, a twelve mile-long fjord carved out of the coastal mountain range, over the course of thousands of years. Skirting the coastline, we'll cruise to the Horn Cliffs and into the mouth of LeConte Glacier Bay.

Our inflatable skiff will provide access through the ice-choked bay, and can ferry us to shore, where we will observe spruce and hemlock old growth forests. Soon the forest gives way to shear 3,000 foot rock walls, which have been ground smooth by glacial ice. You'll photograph thundering waterfalls, crystal-clear and bright blue icebergs, and curious harbor seals swimming nearby. Observing massive chunks of calving ice is an experience not to be missed. Experienced kayakers can explore the area by kayak. Icebergs will greet us as we paddle on to Bussy Creek, and begin to explore LeConte Bay! We'll weave our way through the parade of icebergs as we explore the waterfalls and coves, and gaze at hanging glaciers high above. Harbor Seals will keep a close eye on us as we quietly paddle by.

From our protected anchorage at Indian Point, we’ll explore LeConte Glacier Bay for the entire day. Working our way around titanic icebergs, we’ll explore the coves, points and waterfalls which ring the bay. As we probe further into the bay, the icebergs become larger, and the pack ice thicker. We hope to catch a glimpse of thundering ice breaking off the face of the LeConte Glacier. The size and beauty of this tidewater glacier is mesmerizing. Dinner will be aboard the Kirsten Anne, and our evening anchorage gives us the opportunity to watch the sunset over Frederick Sound.

Day 2: After an early breakfast and our daily orientation, Kirsten Anne is underway in the early morning hours into Frederick Sound. Along the way we will be alert for drifting icebergs, as well as humpback and Orca whale sightings. We are bound for Pybus Bay, near a group of small islands known as The Brothers, near the coast of Admiralty Island. Our first stop is Thomas Bay, and delightful Scenery Cove. Beyond are the boulder-strewn debris fields where the Baird Glacier and Patterson Glacier merge and terminate in an alluvial outwash, a couple of mile from shore. Melt-water and sub-glacial water move rock flour, pebbles, and larger rocks beyond the terminus to form outwash plains. Thomas Bay provides a unique opportunity to photograph these outwash plains, buried forests, and timber management areas.

Soon we're back aboard the Kirsten Anne, cruising into Frederick Sound, a prime summer feeding ground for migratory humpback whales. It is a rare crossing when we do not encounter a pod of whales. We may shut down our engines and just drift, watching the whales feeding or breaching.

We anchor in an idyllic setting at Pybus Bay, where the sounds of breathing whales, grunting steller sea lions, and screeching eagles drift in, across the evening calm. Beautiful, remote and protected from outer waters, Pybus Bay is pristine and serene. Brown bears are abundant along the grassy beaches in spring and near salmon streams in summer. In the late 1800's, a very successful salmon cannery operation was located in Pybus Bay. Evidence of the canning operation still remains. Mother Nature has long since reclaimed the old buildings, but much of the impressive machinery still lies quietly in place, eliciting countless untold stories from the ghosts of the past.

Day 3: Kirsten Anne is underway early again, cruising or sailing through the waters of Frederick Sound and Stephens Passage. Our first destination is The Brothers, a group of small islands near the southern coast of Admiralty Island. Along the way we continue to observe the migratory patterns of humpback whales. We'll anchor in a secret cove between two small islands, where the sounds of grunting steller sea lions soon begin to drift in.

This picturesque group of islands is a photographer's paradise. We can pick wild strawberries, learn about native plants, and revel in the glorious meadows of harebells, Indian paintbrush, lupine, columbine, irises, chocolate lilies, river beauties, fireweed, and more. We'll also explore a productive intertidal zone, home to hundreds of sea stars, sea cucumbers, spiny sea urchins, sponges, periwinkles and whelks, to name just a few of the species that literally hang around, waiting for the return of high tide. During an extra-low tide at The Brothers, various anemones gleam brilliantly.

Storms come and go in The Brothers, and the light changes constantly. Soon we're underway, but first we'll pause to view the colony of steller sea lions we've been hearing, crowded on the rocks of one of the outer islands that comprise The Brothers. The males vie noisily for dominance over their harems. As we cruise past tiny Sail Island, we'll see even more sea lions and shore birds. Throughout the day, we watch for whales, porpoise, orca, and sea birds.

Our destination this evening is Sanford Cove. We have planned our day to make the slack tide across Wood Spit and into Endicott Arm. The evening light is beautiful, as we dodge icebergs, and wind our way into the fjord. As we cruise up Endicott Arm, the scenery changes dramatically. Suddenly we are in a vertical world of granite cliffs and glacier-carved cirques. The granite walls of the fjord loom ahead of us, with waterfalls cascading down on either side.

Day 4: Sanford Cove is near the abandoned site of the prospecting community of Sumdum. Little is left of the town, other than a few pilings. This is prime salmon-spawning habitat, which lures brown bears to the creeks and rivers in the area. We hike along the banks of tiny Sanford Creek, through an old growth spruce and hemlock forest, to a stunning waterfall, illuminated by the soft morning light in a remarkable grotto of ferns and mosses.

It's only a short run to Ford's Terror, one of the most spectacular destinations in Southeast Alaska. It is named after a naval crew member who rowed a dinghy into the narrow entrance of the fjord at slack tide in 1889, and suffered six terrifying hours trapped in the turbulent currents. Luckily for us, tide tables and plenty of experience prevent any danger.

There are many places in Ford's Terror to explore, by foot and by kayak. Surrounded by 5,000-foot granite faces, we marvel at the mist clinging to the precipices. Today we will make our way through the tidal rapids (at slack water, of course) into the majestic and stunning inner fjord. We explore the spectacular fjord, accessible only through a narrow passage. Rushing tidal currents and whirlpools prevent us from entering (and exiting) when the tide flows in and out. We wait for slack water to enter this paradise. While we wait, we can explore the opposite side of the channel, where we anticipate the possibility of a black or brown bear sighting. We can also take a short hike to a perch atop the smooth granite walls overlooking the Terror. From there we can watch the standing waves, whirlpools, and charging icebergs against a backdrop of cascades and sheer granite cliffs.

We'll spend a full day exploring the fjord, and the valleys at its head. By foot and kayak, we travel beneath sheer granite cliffs and cascading waterfalls, observing brown bear tracks and the wildlife of the inner fjord. We may take an evening paddle along the shoreline, before we enjoy another delicious meal!

Day 5: This morning we'll continue our photo adventure, with a relaxing boat ride to photograph the harbor seals at the face of the Dawes Glacier. Passing the mouth of Ford's Terror, we re-enter the Endicott Arm, a realm of ice and rich marine life. Blue and white sculpted icebergs float by, becoming larger and more plentiful as we approach the head of the fjord. Seals and porpoises are common on the water, while above us mountain goats and bears can be seen on the fjord walls.

As we reach the mouth of North Dawes Glacier, an icy glacial outwash river divides a meadow and scree slope with a big waterfall. Black bears commonly come down to the meadow to graze. We watch huge icebergs calving off the face of the Dawes. We can hear the glacier rumbling and thundering, and we safely watch as the waves surge down the shoreline of the fjord. We'll spend time floating among the ice, and taking in the glacier against a backdrop of jagged peaks. Like the explorers here before us, the majesty and awe of this ice-carved land has etched itself into our experience.

It is twenty-seven miles up the Endicott Arm to the face of Dawes Glacier. We will linger at the face of the glacier for awhile, and witness the calving and booming of the icebergs. We'll also paddle through iceberg-laden waters, and we'll be amused by the antics of the many seals hauled out for a rest on icebergs.

Next we make our way to a seldom-visited anchorage we call North Dawes Cove. We may hike up a newly-formed valley on the far side of the fjord, just recently uncovered by the receding North Dawes Glacier. We'll take in the magnificent vistas, as we listen for the mournful howls of wolves.

Day 6: After breakfast this morning, we'll continue our journey. Our destination today is Port Snettisham. We have planned our day to make the slack tide across Wood Spit. The morning light is beautiful, as we dodge icebergs, and wind our way down the fjord. The scenery changes dramatically, as we pass the world of granite cliffs and glacier-carved cirques of Ford’s Terror, and tiny forested Sumdum Island. Rushing tidal currents and whirlpools prevent us from exiting Endicott Arm when the tide flows in and out. We must wait for slack water to exit this paradise.

Throughout the day, we'll watch for whales, sea lions, dall porpoises, orcas, and sea birds. We'll be cruising through Stephens Passage, and past Admiralty Island. Admiralty is known for its dense bear population, and offers ample opportunity to see a variety of wildlife in an undisturbed setting. Watching the shoreline and estuaries in the early morning and evening light, we often catch a glimpse of brown bears, fishing in the salmon-filled streams and rivers. With the largest concentration of nesting bald eagles in the world, Admiralty Island offers many chances to also see birds most commonly found in the fringe habitats between the forest and muskegs or meadows, and along the shores. Popular sightings include Canadian geese, trumpeter swans, cormorants and blue herons.

After arriving at Port Snettisham, we'll stretch our legs on shore. It's a short distance by skiff or kayak to a nearby salmon-fed river. Sweetheart Creek is the terminus of a series of cascading waterfalls which have glacially fed Sweetheart Lake as their source. Often brown bears can be observed fishing in the pools below the falls. We'll hike through a rainforest of sitka spruce and hemlock trees, skunk cabbage and ferns. A Forest Service trail takes us through old growth rainforest, salmonberry thickets, and a mature muskeg. Along the way, we'll observe the tracks and signs of the wildlife of the Tongass National Forest, including brown bears, moose, wolverine, foxes, wolves, coyotes, porcupines, muskrats, river otters and sable.

Dinner will be aboard the Kirsten Anne, and we'll take a short cruise to our evening anchorage at Taku Harbor, which gives us another opportunity for a breathtaking sunset.

Day 7: Even by Alaska standards, sailing the Inside Passage is an extraordinary experience. Waves pummel the shore, and tidal currents swirl, stirring the sea richly into a distinct greenhouse aroma that fills the air. Green waters teem with krill, herring and salmon, attracting hungry whales, marine mammals and brown bears, all eager for their share.

On our final day we depart early for our cruise to Auke Bay. We'll pass the beautiful Point Retreat Lighthouse and the northwest coast of Admiralty Island in late morning. It won't take long before we'll need our cameras and binoculars. Off the northwest coast of Admiralty Island, humpback whales often catch herring and other small fish using a technique called bubble net feeding.

Unique to humpbacks, bubble-net feeding requires a group of whales to work cooperatively. The process begins when a school of small fish is located. Humpback whales only eat tiny fish and krill, which are abundant in Alaska's waters. The group then gathers below the school of fish, and begins releasing bubbles to confuse the fish, and bunch them together. The cylindrical wall of bubbles they create acts like a net, which fish are reluctant to swim through. This ring of bubbles soon appears on the surface of the water. The entire group then suddenly surges upward through the bubble net, mouths agape -- a dozen or more humpback whales all rising to the surface in unison. Each whale collects a huge mouthful of water, and then expels it, straining the fish through its baleen. Often the whales will do this feeding behavior over and over again.

Kirsten Anne is scheduled to arrive in Auke Bay Harbor around 4 p.m. Participants should have ample time to settle into a hotel in bustling downtown Juneau, or catch an evening flight from Juneau Airport. If you're staying in town, join us at 7:00 p.m. for fantastic dinner at the Twisted Fish Company, on Franklin Street in downtown Juneau.

If you need additional information about this trip, please contact us.

Price Schedule

The price schedule for this workshop depends upon the level of accommodations you prefer aboard the Kirsten Anne. The workshop fee includes includes professional guiding, field sessions, and photo instruction. Rates are per person, and are based upon double occupancy.

 

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