Photo of the Week – May 29

This week’s Photo of the Week was taken from the stern of the Norwegian Sun as she departed Skagway, Alaska and transited the Lynn Canal on her way to Juneau.   The above photograph was taken at 12:10 am, which looks remarkably light out due to the northern position of the canal. 

The Lynn Canal is the deepest fjord in North America with a depth of over 2,000 – impressive, but still a baby compared to the deepest fjord in the world, Skelton Inlet in Antarctica, which has a total depth of 6,342 feet.

The Lynn Canal is also notable for being the site where the SS Princess Sophia ran aground on Vanderbilt Reef in October of 1918.  Having high-centered on the reef, the ship was unable to free herself, and while many rescue vessels attempted to extract her passengers, a fierce winter storm prevented them from doing so.  It was felt it was safer to keep the passengers aboard the Sophia rather than attempt a risky transfer operation.  However, around 5pm on October 25, 1918, the tide began to wash the ship clear of the reef, tearing open the bottom of her hull in the process and resulting in the deaths of everyone aboard.

Today, Vanderbilt Reef is marked with a navigation beacon to prevent a similar accident from occurring.  The transiting of Lynn Canal remains one of the most beautiful – and windy – sights on an Alaska cruise.