'Pure chaos out of nowhere': Mega-landslide and tsunami rip through Tracy Arm south of Juneau

Early Sunday morning, Sasha Calvey awoke to a roar.

“I look out of the tent, and then I see a massive wave coming, like, inches away,” Calvey said.

Calvey was camped with two friends, Billy White and Nick Heilgeist, on Harbor Island, an uninhabited islet in Holkham Bay. It’s at the convergence of two of Southeast Alaska’s most-visited fjords, Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm.

Calvey, White and Heilgeist had spent the past 78 days kayaking the Inside Passage from Washington. The three hoped to spend the final two weeks of their trip making their way to Glacier Bay.

It was 5:45 a.m. Sunday when their plans abruptly changed.

Calvey scrambled to wake up White and Heilgeist. The three are professional guides who have been taking a summer off from leading trips through the San Juan Islands. They’