We left Tracy Arm Cove around 7am — out through the Tracy Arm bar, in over the Endicott Arm bar, and up Endicott Arm.
We spotted a couple whales just as they dove — probably working on the same breakfast these seagulls were.
We arrived at the entrance to Ford’s Terror just after 10am (about 20 minutes before the Juneau/Wood Spit high tide around 10:20am).
Of course we had a little waterfall photoshoot for those who wanted:
While we milled about in front of the waterfall, Kevin dropped the dinghy and took people in and out of the entrance to see what the current was doing.
The current was basically slack by the time we took the big boats through at about 10:40am. No other boats coming out, and no other boats in the anchorage, so for at least a little while we’ve got the place to ourselves.
We can’t count the number of times we’ve been in here now (several times a year for the past 11 years), but it has not even remotely started to get old. Being surrounded by these giant snow-capped granite ice-carved cliffs covered in waterfalls and trees…it’s just spectacular.
We’ll be here in Ford’s Terror for two nights, but knowing that rain is possible for tomorrow, we quickly got out in the dinghies and went out exploring.
First we went over to the east arm and up to the river that flows out around the granite amphitheater.
Barn swallows make their homes up in the rocky cliffs and overhangs near where the stream empties, and they flitted around our dinghies as we temporarily visited their home.
Next we left the east arm (good timing, too, because any later and the strong ebb out would have been a little sporty, even in the dinghies.)
After we’d finished the dinghy excursion, Kevin took the drone up for some aerial photos (and made a short video as well). It’s so hard to convey the scale of this place, but the drone photos come closest!
Also an aerial shot of each boat at anchor:
We had a very fun and festive dinner on Airship…appetizers, lasagna, kale salad, caprese salad, homemade focaccia, and cookies for dessert!
After dinner, it was time to check the shrimp pots. Twenty-six coon-stripes in the first pot, and ten more in the second one pot (after a nice little chat with this Arctic Tern hanging out on the pot’s buoy).
Day 2 in Ford’s Terror: It began to rain overnight, as predicted, and today low clouds have settled into the trees surrounding us. It’s still beautiful, just in a different, more subdued way.
Our shrimp haul has been pretty good here so far. I decided I’d make shrimp risotto tonight, but then realized we were out of both parmesan AND butter. While chatting with Alicia over on Evenstar 42 about what she was going to make with her shrimp, she offered up parmesan and butter so I traded arborio rice and a dozen or so more shrimp to add to what they already had and so they’ll be having risotto as well! Fun!
And, here’s a cool oystercatcher over on the shoal at low tide!
And a few photos this evening as the rain tapers off:
Tomorrow we’ll take a run up Endicott Arm to see if we can get a look at Dawes Glacier!
Oh, and one more note…we finally got a bear on shore. So much scanning the shore with binoculars all day yesterday and today, and this evening he popped out for a few minutes, sat down, ate some grass, and then went back into the trees.
