Tracy Arm Fjord and Sawyer Glacier

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Sailing from Warm Springs Bay after a rustic night on Baranof Island, we enjoyed breakfast aboard Mañana II. The vessel headed up Stephens Passage past Admiralty Island to reach Holkam Bay. We sailed past numerous small islands, most of which were unnamed, said Captain Coon. Tracy Arm fjord leads off from Holkam Bay. Sailing up the fjord Mañana II now passed icebergs large and small. At the end of the fjord is Sawyer Glacier. The glacier divides into two flows. North Sawyer enters Tracy Arm while South Sawyer enters Endicott Arm fjord, the latter infrequently visited. The glacier extends like a river of ice down into the fjord. Mañana II was able to navigate right up to North Sawyer glacier, getting much closer to it than can modern cruise ships.

From Holkam Bay, Mañana II continued up the Inside Passage towards Juneau and the end of our voyage. Lunch and dinner under the supervision of Chef Joe Romantini were served on board in the small dining room. The chef was something of an amateur opera singer. He was prompted by the group to sing at our farewell to Mañana II dinner at the Baranoff Hotel in Juneau. However, he demurred, explaining that the band did not know any of his music. (In retrospect, it seems strange that the Baranoff Hotel had a big band at all.)

What happened to Mañana II? Much later I learned that Mañana II sank in 1969 off Sitka. Captain Coon, Chef Romantini and their passengers survived. The Coon family later relocated to Hawaii. Chef Romantini was later noted as an Executive Chef in Alaska in 1974.

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Photos

Iceberg
An iceberg juts out into Holkham Bay. Tracy Arm Fjord leads from Holkham Bay to Sawyer Glacier.
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Iceberg
Iceberg in Tracy Arm Fjord.
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Tracy Arm Fjord
Iceberg in Tracy Arm Fjord.
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Tracy Arm Fjord
Tracy Arm Fjord. At the end is North Sawyer Glacier.
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North Sawyer Glacier
North Sawyer Glacier in Tracy Arm Fjord.
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North Sawyer Glacier
North Sawyer Glacier in Tracy Arm Fjord.
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North Sawyer Glacier
North Sawyer Glacier in Tracy Arm Fjord.
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North Sawyer Glacier
North Sawyer Glacier in Tracy Arm Fjord.
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Unnamed Island
An unnamed Island in Alaska's Inside Passage
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Tee Harbor
Tee Harbor, near Juneau.
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Mañana II Dining Room
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Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Dining Room
I enjoy this photo.

[AndrewHL]

Dining Room
It was cozy. My aunt and mother are seated on the banquette.