HELP NEEDED - Anyone with Photos from the Sawyer Glacier from Star or Excursion?

[Shiningstar1977]

Hi All,

I am hoping someone might have photos from the Sawyer Glacier. From either boat. There was the NCL star and there was the excursion boat - the Catamaran that did the Tracy Arm Fjord / Glacier Experience.

Whether they are pictures of either of the boats or the seals etc.


I hope you don't mind me asking. I know a lot of people were upset about what happened with the seals... It's being looked into to make sure it doesn't happen again. Pictures would help.

I did contact R family as well... They of course have nothing to do with what happened to the seal habitat but they were very supportive on the ship. I have emailed Kelli to let her know what happened and will update her.

Anything you would have would be great...If something happened that should not have to the seal they will fix it so it doesn't happen again. I know that there were lots of kids yelling on the boat upset about the seals... They were right...

Help me communicate what happened.

I am the only on that has filed a complaint that the Marine Mammal Protection Act was violated. I'm from Ohio so I didn't even know this was existed but as far as rules being broken that's not up to me but there is someone who is looking into it... I'm a little sad that I'm the only one that let the wildlife officers know what happened and what our experience was. They are very willing to investigate these instances because it's a very delicate habitat.

I can take care of writing up the report but if anyone has pictures that would be great.
Just let me know

Thanks for your help....

[DiverBizz]

I have no photos and don't know what really happened but a man went to the ship excursion area and complained. The NCL employee stated that the captain knew what had happened, others had complained, and that he should file a report with the animal rights or mammal (I couldn't hear what went on because the NCL employee lowered his voice).

[two grandmas]

Hi All,

I am hoping someone might have photos from the Sawyer Glacier. From either boat. There was the NCL star and there was the excursion boat - the Catamaran that did the Tracy Arm Fjord / Glacier Experience.

Whether they are pictures of either of the boats or the seals etc.


I hope you don't mind me asking. I know a lot of people were upset about what happened with the seals... It's being looked into to make sure it doesn't happen again. Pictures would help.

I did contact R family as well... They of course have nothing to do with what happened to the seal habitat but they were very supportive on the ship. I have emailed Kelli to let her know what happened and will update her.

Anything you would have would be great...If something happened that should not have to the seal they will fix it so it doesn't happen again. I know that there were lots of kids yelling on the boat upset about the seals... They were right...

Help me communicate what happened.

I am the only on that has filed a complaint that the Marine Mammal Protection Act was violated. I'm from Ohio so I didn't even know this was existed but as far as rules being broken that's not up to me but there is someone who is looking into it... I'm a little sad that I'm the only one that let the wildlife officers know what happened and what our experience was. They are very willing to investigate these instances because it's a very delicate habitat.

I can take care of writing up the report but if anyone has pictures that would be great.
Just let me know

Thanks for your help....

What happened to the seal? We have tons of pictures of the seals and the boat will try and send you some. But what hapened?

[vandenk]

I have several photos from the excursion, some of which are on Facebook, but I have plenty more at home. If you are on Facebook, check my photos here (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2031597&id=1179563511&l=9515688285). Please send me an email or private message if you need more.

[Shiningstar1977]

Hi all,

My email is Laura_Charlton @ Progressive (dot) com

please email me if you can I'll also check the facebook page.

Ships are not supposed to cross into the waters where the seals are like that. You can't just drive over top of them. We were on that small boat for the excursion and we watched the NCL run over the seals. It was TERRIBLE. We had two meetings with the NCL and tey would not take any accountability or expalin why it happened.

It was a violation of the the Marine Mammal Protection Act. I spoke with a Special Agent from the (whatever federal commission it is yesterday) concerning what we saw. He asked for a full report that I'm working on and he asked if anyone has pictures. That will help him determine the location of the boat in approximity to the seals habitat.

We did see seals perish in the incident... It shouldn't have happened.

I had also contacted the CEO of Norweigan - I wanted them to take some accountability and tell us that it happened and shouldn't have

No one was interested in that. We basically were treated like idiots and laughed at.

I'm not a wildlife officer and don't know the extent of the laws which is why we filed the complaint.

I'm sad that no one else has... I will do everything I can to make sure that I provide the details so the authorities can make the approriate determination.

[DiverBizz]

I was not aware of what happened just heard a few parts of conversations. Now I understand the situation. We were on the Star and I do have a photo of appears to be a seal on an ice block extremely close to the ship. I will enlarge it to make sure that what I am saying is accurate and will email the photo if you can tell what it is.

So Sorry that happened. Especially with children on the boat if they witnessed this event.

Sheryl

[DEchicks]

We were on deck of the Star and saw a number of seals on the ice and several that were just playing in the waters but I have to say that ALL of them were a considerable distance from the ship - none were visible to me in close proximity. All of the pictures I have will only show this distance.

I am not an expert by any means, but have seen seals move onto and off of objects in the water and the speed they have when swimming. I also know that our ship was literally crawling through that passage (not at break neck speeds like a small jet boat or ski boat would)... is your group that witnessed this destruction of seals 100% sure that is what happened? I just find it difficult to conceive of a lumbering cruise ship overtaking a seal. Please don't bash me for questioning.... I am truly an animal/wildlife advocate and lover!

[vandenk]

I also know that our ship was literally crawling through that passage (not at break neck speeds like a small jet boat or ski boat would)

I was on the excursion (JetBoat), whith a crew compliment including nature specialists. The captain of the catamaran was extremely respectful of the habitat, moving very slowly at basically no wake in the habitat. We only cruised at "full speed" in the open channel, not in the fjords. This is that company's primary job is to offer nature and wildlife tours. The crew of that boat was clearly appalled at the conduct of the NCL star, including the lack of radio contact from the Star's crew for over an hour.

In addition to that, it is important to note that the cruise ship has open/exposed propellers, while the jet boat draws water in and expels it with no exposed prop.

[Shiningstar1977]

The last person is correct. The Catamaran that ran the excursion was right they didnt do anything wrong. We were on that too... I explained everything that we saw to the Special agent and he was concerned that the Marine Mammal Protection Act was violated.

I don't know the laws and I don't need to... I feel like I've done my part in reporting it and am providing the information

What happened is up to them to figure out and if something needs to be fixed they will take care of.

[creativesoul1]

My family and I was on the excursion and I just went through my many pics of the day and found a number if them where I had shot the Star from the time it came into view. I was looking at them carefully and found that I have a progression of the ship from time it came into view, entering into the icebergs, launching the life boat-that retrieved the zodiac that got stuck and finally turning to come back out. I was also horrified when I found in 2 of the pics, the bow of the ship the with mother and baby seal that I had been photographing, just off the front and a bit to the side of the ship. I did not have to enlarge the pics much to see the alignment of the Star to the seals! :(

I feel horrible that all of this occured. I did not put two and two together while on the excursion, as I was so focused on my kids. If there is anything that I can do just let me know. I would be happy to share the pics with whomever would like them!

I was angry that day, at how the captian of the Star behaved and now I am am even more appaled to find out it was worse than the inconviences that we felt on the excursion! :mad:

deb

[ashes]

My family was also on the excrsion and I believe the staff of the small excursion boat is making a compliant as well as they expressed their shock and upset over the incident. I did not see any seals injured but we did see them having to come off the ice to get out of the way of the Star rapidly moving into the icy waters and bypassing our excursion ship. Hopefully whatever happens, it will prevent this from occuring again.

[DEchicks]

Wow! Reading the follow up posts I am now very upset that the Captain of the Star would be so negligent! I do hope this is addressed and that something is done to prevent it from happen again in the future! I've also emailed friends who were on an excursion boat (not sure if it was the same one you all were on) that day to see if they have pictures.

[Nightowls]

Larry and I were totally upset from the get go and more so because noone else seemed to think it mattered. It was pretty dicey watching the ship try to get turned around in a space it was clearly not meant to be in.

[Luv2Cruise]

Larry and I were totally upset from the get go and more so because noone else seemed to think it mattered. It was pretty dicey watching the ship try to get turned around in a space it was clearly not meant to be in.

Large ships go up into this area all the time. We passed the Serenade of the Seas coming out of the Endicott Arm as we were going in. A Captain will not take a ship where it's "not" supposed to go.

Take a look at this video from a Royal Caribbean ship. It was in the exact same area as the Star. You can clearly see Dawes Glacier in the video.
http://www.vimeo.com/1451911

[Shiningstar1977]

Ships do go in but if you check out the Marine Mammal Protection act you will see the laws that keep the ships and boats away from the seals.

I don't really think there was danger and it's true the boats do enter and turn around though things need to be altered when the conditions are such. There where seals pupping in those waters - there lies the problem.

Both our captain of the small boat excursion and the Captain of the STAR admitted that the waters where very icy - and in their words the conditions were HIGHLY unusual. He did what he always did without adjusting for the seals/changes.

Also he didn't bother to pick us up when he was supposed to.. Leaving us out there for an extra hour... He didnt' follow the procedure set up with NCL and the excursion company... He apparently does what he wants... all while jabbering over the speaker.

I wish you could have been in the meetings with us and the NCL people... We were belittled, ignored and literally laughed at.

[Shiningstar1977]

No other complaints have been filed... Unfortunatly There is probably relationships that have to be maintaned and of course we have no idea of the politics with the excursion companies and the Cruise lines but I know where their business comes from. 7 Days had passed and no other complaints but mine has been made.

sad

[DecaturGA Family]

What is the excursion everyone is talking about? Did they actually take people out in a boat while we were passing through the glaciers?

[wimomz/kari]

i think the excursion was from juneau it was the boat we passed up and kept heading toward dawes i had some friends on it and they were not too thrilled with the capt either

as i saw the seals from the 12th deck i was thinking that this was really mean-i even have pix of a baby who was nursing until we got to close... idk if we hurt any of the seals and i don't have any pix that would prove it but my nursing pup pix is HERE (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wimomz/3736589387/in/set-72157621716185424/)

honestly when i think of all of the cruise traffic up there it sickens me the seals should have protection from the disturbances weather they are injured or just interrupted from their habitat

[Shiningstar1977]

i think the excursion was from juneau it was the boat we passed up and kept heading toward dawes i had some friends on it and they were not too thrilled with the capt either

as i saw the seals from the 12th deck i was thinking that this was really mean-i even have pix of a baby who was nursing until we got to close... idk if we hurt any of the seals and i don't have any pix that would prove it but my nursing pup pix is HERE (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wimomz/3736589387/in/set-72157621716185424/)

honestly when i think of all of the cruise traffic up there it sickens me the seals should have protection from the disturbances weather they are injured or just interrupted from their habitat


If you have any pictures and would like to send them to me I will get them to the government agent who is investigating the violations to the Marine Mammal protection act.

[DecaturGA Family]

Was the boat that got to close the excursion boat or the ship we were on? I'm confused by the thred of events.

[Shiningstar1977]

Was the boat that got to close the excursion boat or the ship we were on? I'm confused by the thred of events.

It was the NCL Star that went into those waters where the seals were