Tracy Arm - E of Mile 900

Tip: Get up early with your camera

Many ships enter Tracy Arm around 6 a.m. so they can get to Juneau for a port call in time for passengers to go on their shore excursions

If yours does: get up early! The entrance, particularly that first right angle turn is truly spectacular, as the light can be exquisite at that time of day.

What's wrong with this picture?

(Other than no life jacket...) Well, as I learned, almost fatally, in 2010, icebergs can roll over unexpectedly.. 7/8 of an iceberg is underwater, and melting. And as that happens, its center of gravity may change, and they can capsize without warning, creating waves big enough to overturn small craft. Also give the face of the glacier a lot of room - a couple of thousand tons of ice falling into a small bay can create a huge wave. Also remember that sometimes icebergs can suddenly erupt from the water, having broken off from the underwater part of the glacier!

Entering Tracy Arm, 5:30 a.m., just after going around the first big bend. Don't miss this by sleeping in...

Small cruise ships often have Zodiacs - big inflatable boats - to take passengers ashore with. This is the south shore of Tracy Arm. The glacier is just around the next corner.

Left: small cruise ship at right side of photo gives you a sense of scale. Sometimes the glacier has discharged so much ice that it is hard for big ships to get very close to the ice.