LeConte Ice Garden: Ice Exploring with some cool kids

 

In awe of the glacial blue

  It is the middle of summer which means Alaska is heating up, both in temperature and in wildlife sightings. And with all the kids being on summer vacation it is a great time to expand their world view with a trip to the Alaska wilderness. The Safari Quest is our smallest vessel in the fleet, with 22 passengers and 10 crew, making it perfect for an extended family vacation. The last three weeks have all been private family charters on the Quest. Not only has it been amazing to see families spending such amazing quality time together, but getting the kids unplugged from wifi and internet means the wilderness experience can really take hold. 

 

Exploration Time

 This week we had 9 kids on ranging from 17 to 5 years old. The activities ranged from bushwhacking past piles of bear scat, skiffing up rivers into glacial lakes, to kayaking around ice while watching a tidewater glacier calve into the water. Each activity pushed the kids a little out of the usual comfort zone, giving them the opportunity not just to learn a new skill, but to also expand their boundaries. The week culminated in a skiff and stroll through grounded icebergs in a place called LeConte Bay.

  Watching the kids walk amongst the natural ice sculptures, eyes widening at each new design was uplifting to see. There wasn’t a cell phone in sight. The oldest would try and climb the ice while the youngest was busy licking it to see if they tasted different. Tiny crabs skittered from below their feet as the low tide uncovered more than just grounded icebergs. Then all at once everyone looked into the bay as the sound of thunder reached us as a massive floating iceberg broke apart into a hundred pieces. The skiff ride back was unusually quiet for such an energetic group. Everyone was taking it all in and trying to comprehend this otherworldly land that only Alaska can provide.