4 Aug 23

We both went to bed about 20:00 last night, although I read for a while, and slept until 07:00. We awoke to a glorious, sunny morning, and a nearly deserted anchorage; 3 of our 4 anchorage buddies had already left by the time I stuck my head up. I’m feeling much better and Terri is about the same as yesterday, so we decided to go for Tracy Arm. We had the anchor up at 08:30 and headed up Tracy Arm. Even though it started to flood at about 09:17, according to the tide tables, we had current against us the whole way; I believe that this was a combination of the out-inlet wind (8 - 16 kn) and the fact that the top several inches of water is cold fresh water that is pouring off the glaciers. So, the tide fills in underneath the fresh water, which keeps flowing out like a river on the surface. The ride up the inlet was unremarkable, although we did have a quick view of a couple of Orcas (first sightings in Alaska, but they were gone before we could get a photo) a few miles shy of the N. Sawyer Glacier. Also, there were loads of water-falls and the views all the way up were just fantastic. We did a quick run up to N. Sawyer, which is something to look at, but the ice does not quite reach the water. There is a big stream running out from under the glacier into the inlet and we did see a surface water temperature of 4.5 deg C, which is the coldest we have ever witnessed, including Glacier Bay.  After a few photos, it was off to S. Sawyer, which is the one dumping off all the ice chunks that are coming down Tracy Arm. And there was a lot of ice. We worked our way to within about 1/2 a mile of the face and waited around for about 10 minutes. A couple of small pieces fell off while we were there, and there was lots of groaning and cracking, but nothing like Margerie. After 10 minutes, Terri was getting cold and it was late-ish, so we got going. Lots of seals basking on the ice floes. On the way back, we passed the “Disney Wonder” in bound and the “M5”, which turned out to be a 265 ft sailboat with a 5-spreader mast (must have been 300 ft tall) and 2 stay-sails and, get this, a small float plane strapped on the stern platform. Now, I have seen everything. We got back to Tracy Arm Cove and anchored with 3 other boats at 17:15. Terri went straight to bed, but I fixed a nice dinner, steak and corn-on-the-cob, and enjoyed the evening and listened to music and waxed eloquent at length here because I am so happy to be alive and healthy (I think) after my bout with Covid-19. All tempered seriously by the knowledge that now Terri is suffering much like I was a couple of days ago. Sorry, babe. Tomorrow, depending on how she feels, we will either stay here for a day, or head to Dawes Glacier (up Endicott Arm), then double back to hit the entrance to Fords Terror at HW slack, which should occur tomorrow at 17:38. By the time I packed it in for the night at about 22:00, there were 9 boats anchored in the cove, with room for a number more. Long day, good to be alive. Thanks, Mother Nature.

57-48.635’N, 133-38.120’W; Log = 55.0, Sum = 1887.0; Eng. hrs. = 8.7, Sum = 3411.5