I’ve been lucky enough to see some truly amazing things and some truly breathtaking places in my life, but as far as sheer natural beauty goes – I’ve yet to see anything that can top Tracy Arm (I’m sure the famous Norway Fjords might, but they’re still on my bucket list).
Tracy Arm is…like silently slipping into a whole other world. I’ve always said that the first time I was on a ship that came here it felt like I’d traveled through the wardrobe and ended up in Narnia, wide-eyed and blinking in the sheer vastness of it all. That impression hasn’t changed.
The mountains tower to either side of us, sliding past my office window like a huge mural painted by a giant. The great cliff sides are green, despite the snow that coats their peaks. It’s still early in the season, so the snow has not fully melted yet, and as such the melt waters tumble down the sides of the mountains to form waterfalls that look like trickles from a distance but would be loud enough to deafen you were you to stand near them. Such is the size of this place that even a waterfall that’s a mile wide looks miniscule in comparison to the landscape that surrounds it.
Environmental restrictions require us to go slowly through the passageways, and in some cases Jersey – who is doing scenic narration from the upper lounge – is not even allowed to speak for fear of disturbing the wildlife. As such, our wake leaves only a slow steady ripple towards shore, the only disturbance of the moss-green water except for the occasional blue iceberg that rears up from the waves. Reminding us that this is still Alaska, despite the summer greens that the land is dressed in. Despite the usually comfortable heating of the ship the Alaskan chill leaks through the thick glass windows of my office and brings shivers down my arms, and yet…I still can’t bring myself to stop going back to the window.
It really is all…so magical.