Workshop Overview :: Glacier Bay Explorer

Join us on this seven-day photographic expedition, and observe the history of Glacier Bay 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 the vast wilderness of Glacier Bay, Dundas Bay, and Icy Straits aboard this handsome boat.

Starts in :Gustavus, Alaska

Ends in: Gustavus, Alaska

Duration: Six days

Distance: 240 miles

Price: $2,400 to $2,850

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 wildeerness.

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 Gustavus, Alaska on a regularly scheduled Alaska Airlines flight, on the day before our trip begins. We will provide you with a list of lodges, and we highly recommend the Gustavus Inn.

Day 1: A long and exciting day awaits us. We’ll meet at 8:00 a.m. at Bartlett Cove. The crew will welcome you at the dock, familiarize you with your quarters aboard the Kirsten Anne, and show you where to stow your gear. We’ll quickly settle into our cabins, take a tour of the beautiful vessel, and begin our journey.

This morning we embark on our scenic cruise into the heart of Glacier Bay. For the next seven days, we’ll have plenty of opportunity to hike along the beaches, and observe and photograph shore birds, marine mammals, and other wildlife, as well as the scenic wonders of Glacier Bay. Traveling on foot often gives us a closer view of this elaborate ecosystem, and we hope to see both black and brown bears. Each evening, we'll move to a protected anchorage.

We begin our adventure with a cruise to Reid Glacier. This six-hour journey will be filled with incredible vistas, wildlife on the beaches, and acrobatic whales in the waters. Once we reach Reid Glacier, we’ll either paddle in our kayaks, or take the inflatable skiff. We’ll make a beach landing, and walk ashore to explore the Reid Glacier. There we'll learn the history of the area. Dinner will be aboard the Kirsten Anne, and our evening anchorage gives us the opportunity to watch the sunset over Glacier Bay.

Day 2: After an early breakfast and our daily orientation, we depart for a short cruise to the Marjorie Glacier. We will anchor up in a small cove nearby, and enjoy a wonderful paddle or skiff ride to the face of Marjorie Glacier. It’s a breathtaking experience, as we watch an active calving glacier from a safe distance. On our way back to the Kirsten Anne, we’ll paddle along a sheer cliff, home to a Kittiwake rookery.

Back aboard the Kirsten Anne, we’ll enjoy lunch during our cruise to the incomparable John Hopkins Glacier. We travel into John Hopkins Inlet to view tidewater glaciers, magnificent waterfalls, and numerous hanging glaciers. The views are spectacular, the pack ice is thick, and nine glaciers are in various stages of decline or advance.

Next we’ll head to the Lamplugh Glacier, for a casual hike along a ridge next to the glacier. Here we’ll enjoy a bird’s eye view, looking down on the top of Lamplugh Glacier – a truly spectacular sight. We’ll return to the Kirsten Anne for dinner, and share stories. Our anchorage will be in Blue Mouse Cove.

Day 3: This morning we make our way across Tarr Inlet to Gloomy Knoband Vivid Lake. For those who wish, there is a beautiful hike among craggy bluffs, with alpine wildflowers adorning the hillsides of Gloomy Knob. For the more adventurous, we can continue to hike to beautiful Vivid Lake, a seldom-visited jewel in the backcountry wilderness. Vivid Lake provides a very rich ecosystem for bears, moose, and wolves. Sockeye salmon make a mid-summer run up the small stream we follow to gain access to the lake.

Next, we’ll have a hearty lunch aboard the Kirsten Anne, as we head into Tidal Inlet. Beautiful forested hillsides on each side of the fjord feature cascading waterfalls, and wolves are occasionally seen on the beach. Throughout the day, we’ll watch for whales, sea lions, porpoise, orca, and sea birds.

We’ll only travel a few miles before reaching our evening anchorage at Sebree Island. We've seen whales, sea lions, porpoises and seals here, feeding in the fertile bay. It’s a tranquil setting, and in the early evening we’ll explore the intertidal zone, home to hundreds of sponges, periwinkles, whelks, sea stars, sea cucumbers and urchins. Eagles, terns, sea gulls, oyster catchers, puffins, and numerous other shore birds nest in the area.

Day 4: Today we'll cruise to the incomparable McBride Glacier . As we travel through geologic time, we witness the rebirth of a new land, as the ice retreats and new flora and fauna enliven the landscape. Glaciers and ice fill our senses. On clear days, the backdrop of the Fairweather Range is unparalleled.

From an idyllic anchorage, we'll explore McBride Glacier. We'll hike along the shore of McBride Bay, and observe the magnificent tidewater McBride Glacier. Working our way around the pack ice, we explore the bay, hoping to catch a glimpse of thundering ice breaking off the face of the glacier. Harbor seals and timber wolves keep a close eye on us, as we walk silently along the shore. We'll hike up the lateral moraine of the glacier, to photograph an unforgettable bouquet of wildflowers, and have early lunch. Later in the afternoon, we'll photograph the house-sized icebergs that are stranded on the beach. We continue to learn more about the history and the dynamic nature of this world-renowned ecosystem. The sheer size and beauty of McBride Glacier is mesmerizing.

Then we are off to North Sandy Cove, a very rich ecosystem full of black bears, moose, wolves, and a plentiful marine environment. We explore another intertidal zone, which is 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 here awaiting the return of the high tide. We may take an evening paddle along the beach, before we enjoy another delicious meal!

Day 5: This morning we'll continue our photo adventure, with a relaxing boat ride to photograph the sea lions, puffins and other shore birds at the Marble Islands. Throughout the day, we'll watch for whales, sea lions, porpoise, orca, and sea birds. Cruising past the Beardslee Islands , we often see humpback whales feeding, and we frequently observe brown bears trolling along the beaches, searching for a tasty morsel.

Dundas Bay is our destination today. We’ll stop soon after we enter the bay, to hike along the beach. We can pick wild strawberries, learn about native plants, and revel in the glorious meadows of Indian paintbrush, lupine, irises, chocolate lilies, river beauties, fireweed, and more. We also follow the tracks of river otters, bear, moose and wolves.

Then it’s back to the Kirsten Anne, to complete our journey to the end of Dundas Bay. About halfway, there is a splendid (optional) paddle to our evening anchorage. After arriving at the head of the bay, we will reconvene with the kayakers, and enjoy dinner aboard the Kirsten Anne. We take in the magnificent vistas, as we listen for the mournful howls of Dundas Bay wolves.

Day 6: After breakfast this morning, we'll explore the erratic boulder field of Dundas Bay, which has not been glaciated for close to 5,000 years. Otters, black bears, wolves and moose, as well as hoary marmots, graze these wildflower-filled meadows. Then we’ll cross a small stream, for a brief hike through a rainforest of Sitka spruce, skunk cabbage, and ferns, and make our way up the mountainside, to explore and learn about a mature muskeg.

After our adventure in the rainforest, we'll head back to the Kirsten Anne to explore the remainder of Dundas Bay. We can kayak in the shadow of the Great Brady Icefield, or hike up the mountain to a lake that overlooks the massive 30-mile ice field that feeds the Brady, Reid and Lamplugh glaciers.

In the afternoon, our captain will return to deliver us into the heart of the Inian Islands Wilderness. This dynamic group of small islands includes our protected anchorage at remote George Island, where we'll hear whales blowing, sea lions barking, and myriads of waterfalls rushing. We’ll explore George Island by foot and by kayak, and we’re certain to see more sea otters and humpback whales. It's an ideal base to observe humpback whales and multitudes of sea lions, as they congregate to feed on the fish and krill that get funneled through the waterways.

Kayaking to the outer-coast side of the island, we pass sea cliffs with nesting cormorants. It’s an incredible landscape of sea arches and caves, interspersed with rocky and sandy beaches. Hikers will delight in the spectacular views from several idyllic beaches. Numerous trails take us through old growth rainforests, salmonberry thickets, and into the alpine on the top of the island.

Day 7: After a relaxed breakfast, we’ll begin our voyage back to Glacier Bay. We stop at Bird Rock to observe the stellar sea lion colony, and then pass through the Inian Islands. We'll cruise by Lemesurier Island, and then head back into Glacier Bay. Throughout the morning and early afternoon, we’ll continue to watch for whales, sea lions, harbor porpoises, sea otters, and orcas.

The Kirsten Anne is scheduled to arrive at the dock in Bartlett Cove around 3 p.m. Participants should have ample time to catch the afternoon flight to Juneau, where they may continue their journey home, or settle into their lodging in bustling Gustavus, Alaska. If you're staying in town, join us at 6:30 p.m. for fantastic dinner at the Gustavus Inn.

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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