Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay is always a highlight in Alaska for many obvious reasons. First of all, it is a part of the largest international preserve in the world, just under 25 million acres, of which Glacier Bay is about three million acres by itself. The park includes some 12 tidewater glaciers that calve into the bay, providing huge icebergs that may last weeks and serve as perches for bald eagles, cormorants and gulls, all of which we saw today.
Shortly after breakfast we were greeted by hundreds of Steller’s sea lions on South Marble Island as well as a myriad of birds including blacked-legged kittiwakes, Glaucous-winged gulls, pigeon guillemots, Common murres, black oystercatchers and the magnificent tufted puffins.
Spring is just beginning here, with snowy patches still on the lowlands and yet a good covering on the peaks. More evidence of spring came with brown bears and long-haired mountain goats grazing on fresh sprigs of greenery, oblivious to our cameras and binoculars, as they made their way up and across the steep slopes of Tidal Inlet and Gloomy Knob. Resident park ranger Kevin Richards came on board early this morning and as the day progressed, told us everything we wanted to know about the park.
The highlight of the day, Margerie Glacier, cancelled any thoughts of a siesta, as we bundled up in layers after lunch and made our way to the bow, with Irish coffees in hand. Margerie lived up to its reputation, awing us with cascading walls of ice of various sizes, calving numerous times, followed by booming “white thunder”. Immediately, kittiwakes came alive with activity, searching for small fish that were stunned by the calving. We admired this towering ice mass for a long time before the National Geographic Sea Lion turned and began a long trek back down the fjord towards Bartlett Cove, our final destination in Glacier Park.
Jason Kelly gave an informative power-point presentation on glaciers. The fact that some of the ice could be several hundred years old before it reaches the sea, and that it takes 14-18” of snow to compress down to one inch of ice gave us all a better appreciation of these natural wonders.
Shortly after dinner, an exercise hike and interpretive walks rounded out our visit. Silver gray clouds reflected on calm waters as the day faded. However, our memories of this special, vast and wild place will remain with us forever.
Glacier Bay is always a highlight in Alaska for many obvious reasons. First of all, it is a part of the largest international preserve in the world, just under 25 million acres, of which Glacier Bay is about three million acres by itself. The park includes some 12 tidewater glaciers that calve into the bay, providing huge icebergs that may last weeks and serve as perches for bald eagles, cormorants and gulls, all of which we saw today.
Shortly after breakfast we were greeted by hundreds of Steller’s sea lions on South Marble Island as well as a myriad of birds including blacked-legged kittiwakes, Glaucous-winged gulls, pigeon guillemots, Common murres, black oystercatchers and the magnificent tufted puffins.
Spring is just beginning here, with snowy patches still on the lowlands and yet a good covering on the peaks. More evidence of spring came with brown bears and long-haired mountain goats grazing on fresh sprigs of greenery, oblivious to our cameras and binoculars, as they made their way up and across the steep slopes of Tidal Inlet and Gloomy Knob. Resident park ranger Kevin Richards came on board early this morning and as the day progressed, told us everything we wanted to know about the park.
The highlight of the day, Margerie Glacier, cancelled any thoughts of a siesta, as we bundled up in layers after lunch and made our way to the bow, with Irish coffees in hand. Margerie lived up to its reputation, awing us with cascading walls of ice of various sizes, calving numerous times, followed by booming “white thunder”. Immediately, kittiwakes came alive with activity, searching for small fish that were stunned by the calving. We admired this towering ice mass for a long time before the National Geographic Sea Lion turned and began a long trek back down the fjord towards Bartlett Cove, our final destination in Glacier Park.
Jason Kelly gave an informative power-point presentation on glaciers. The fact that some of the ice could be several hundred years old before it reaches the sea, and that it takes 14-18” of snow to compress down to one inch of ice gave us all a better appreciation of these natural wonders.
Shortly after dinner, an exercise hike and interpretive walks rounded out our visit. Silver gray clouds reflected on calm waters as the day faded. However, our memories of this special, vast and wild place will remain with us forever.
