Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay is a study in contrast. It is a rich marine environment, surrounded on all sides by somewhat barren, newly-exposed landscape. Incredible rock formations peek through light vegetation, and near the face of the glaciers the rock is stripped down and ground into powder.
We began our morning in an eerie mist. Fires from the interior of Alaska and Canada blanketed our northward journey in haze. This added a sense of mystery to our discoveries throughout the day. Rangers Emma and Helen boarded the ship and we set sail toward the Beardslee Islands. Sharp-eyed naturalist Lee Moll called out that she had spotted a black bear on Strawberry Island. The large omnivore was foraging in the intertidal zone, happily turning rocks and brown algae with its short claws.
Our first highlight of the day came at South Marble Island. This incredible sea bird and Steller’s sea lion habitat is full of great discoveries! From tufted puffins, to common murres, to the ubiquitous black-legged kittiwakes, our day began with a plethora of wildlife!
The southern part of Glacier Bay is, in fact, known for this proliferation of wildlife. Having been exposed from glacial ice for nearly 200 years, this region has developed a more extensive forest system with excellent habitat for a variety of species. Among those other species we encountered was a healthy, adult brown bear. Almost completely camouflaged in the mussels and rockweed on the shore, it rolled large boulders as if they were tiny marbles!
Gloomy Knob, undoubtedly one of the most dramatic geological formations here, brought us several low mountain goats. We enjoyed seeing their beautiful, white coats and incredible dexterity on the vertical rock faces.
Next, we headed to the far end of the bay in Tarr Inlet. Margerie Glacier did not disappoint our hopeful band on deck, as a huge pinnacle collapsed into the milky waters of the bay. The resulting wave washed along more than half the length of the face of the glacier! Lamplugh Glacier and its melt-water stream were our next stop and we all marveled at its rich, blue color. Just as we were departing, Lee once again found impossible wildlife in the form of a river otter. It was exploring the rocks for food, and we watched it until it disappeared into the safety of the water.
Our final destination was the dock at Bartlett Cove. The naturalists and guests ambled off into the woods to enjoy a walk in the twilight. The forest here is rich and green, and yields wonderful discoveries throughout every month of the summer. It is always a treat to work our way back down-bay, watching forest succession in progress. We watch as the landscape changes from bald rock, recently covered by ice, to the rich greens of a forest that has had two centuries to grow and mature.
