LeConte Glacier, Peterburg and the Wrangell Narrows
The Coast Range in Southeast Alaska has two gigantic icefields about a mile above sea level, each covering approximately 2500 square miles. Yesterday we admired the Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau, fed by one of these. Today we cruised about pristine icebergs and bergie bits that first formed in the Stikine Icefield as a united and frigid mass that flowed down the LeConte Glacier, calved into the sea and stranded on the shallows of LeConte Bay. Touring these elegant objects is like looking at giant clear glass sculptures and opaque forms in a museum of modern art, stunning but fleeting. Petersburg was partly founded here at the turn of the century in part, because of this readily available ice. It was used for packing fish and also shipped to San Francisco, quite a trip for water that fell as a snowflake several hundred years ago.
In late morning on our way to Petersburg, Charles “Flip” Nicklin, National Geographic Photographer, shared bits and pieces of his rich and varied life being with whales. He was closely associated with many important cetacean photos and discoveries in our time. Most of the images we saw were from his new book entitled, Among Giants, a Life with Whales.
As we approached Petersburg, thousands of kittiwakes, mew, Bonaparte’s and glaucous-winged gulls floated nearby, foraging on scraps released from the fish-processing plants. The fishing season was winding down. We passed alongside many of the tenders, or ships that buy fish on the fishing grounds as we entered the inner harbor. Most of the purse seiners were also docked, giving the impression that there wasn’t a slip left in town. As our deckhands handled the lines, a nearby crane lifted a seine skiff from a boat. We also noticed a fisherman repairing a gillnet that stretched out from his vessel. The array of fishing craft here is astounding. As you scan out over the hulls, the numbers of masts, stays, lines, booms and antennas crisscross into a jumble that boggles the mind.
Very heavy rain kept our explorations to the main street. Many of us looked into the hardware stores, small shops and the eyes of the friendly residents who inhabit this place. Today was a time to buy better rain gear, water proof gloves and durable hats. The locals were also impressed by the quantity of moisture wringing out of the sky.
Wrangell Narrows is a 21-mile water way that winds between Mitkof and Kupreanof Islands. It provides a passage around the shallow area of the Stikine River mouth on the way to Ketchikan and Misty Fjords. One section narrows to 100 yards, with the shallowest low tide part at 19 feet. Thick fog is a real hazard here, especially with a maximum 8-knot current. People in cruise ships can only read about this passageway filled with all of its navigational aids. We did find fog and wind later in the day going through Snow Pass but the humpback whales made up for the lack of visibility. The groups were interesting to watch feeding along the tidal rips.
One of the truly great aspects of the last trip in Alaska this season is the remarkably enjoyable and engaging guests that are now here. It may be raining a bit but we are really having a great time together, including the dinner this evening.
