Glacier Bay National Park
If you had to come up with a catchphrase for Glacier Bay National Park, it should be: “Welcome to Glacier Bay ~ Where Drama Unfolds Every Day.” Just 200 hundred years ago, this bay was covered in ice 4,000 feet thick. Today, that giant wall of ice has retreated almost 70 miles inland, revealing granite bedrock and allowing new vegetation into the bay. Where there once was nothing but ice covering the land, now the bay brims with life. Entering the park today, we obviously had expectations of seeing glaciers, but were we prepared to see such great wildlife sightings as well? Everywhere we stopped, each cove and island seemed to proudly display its own bit of wildlife, as if showing us the abundance of life that has returned to the bay.
Eleven species of birds were sighted throughout the day, from oystercatchers and kittiwakes to bald eagles and tufted puffins. Not to be outdone by the avian, the mammals were also highlighted: early in the morning, sea otters floated by the Sea Bird. Steller’s sea lions hauled out on the South Marble Islands – providing endless auditory entertainment with their snorts, grunts, and barks. Mountain goats defied the rain at Gloomy Knob, and a brown bear sow and her cub were spotted high up on a cliff just before the entrance to Johns Hopkins Inlet.
Geologist Scott provided commentary as we approached the might Johns Hopkins glacier, a river of ice advancing at a rate of eight feet per day! With the serrachs, or ice-towers, stretching high above us, we gathered on the bow, and listened in respect and awe, as the ice groaned and cracked all around us. A wall of ice extended in front of us, and icebergs surrounded the ship; we were captivated by the dramatic scenery. We were not alone in the ice, however. Drawing closer to the face of the glacier, what at first seemed to be nothing more than dots along the ice turned out to be hundreds of harbor seals hauled out. Thanks to the skilled maneuvering of the bridge officers, the Sea Bird eased through the ice and we were afforded unforgettable views of the Johns Hopkins glacier, and the chance to exchange glances with the harbor seals below.
If you had to come up with a catchphrase for Glacier Bay National Park, it should be: “Welcome to Glacier Bay ~ Where Drama Unfolds Every Day.” Just 200 hundred years ago, this bay was covered in ice 4,000 feet thick. Today, that giant wall of ice has retreated almost 70 miles inland, revealing granite bedrock and allowing new vegetation into the bay. Where there once was nothing but ice covering the land, now the bay brims with life. Entering the park today, we obviously had expectations of seeing glaciers, but were we prepared to see such great wildlife sightings as well? Everywhere we stopped, each cove and island seemed to proudly display its own bit of wildlife, as if showing us the abundance of life that has returned to the bay.
Eleven species of birds were sighted throughout the day, from oystercatchers and kittiwakes to bald eagles and tufted puffins. Not to be outdone by the avian, the mammals were also highlighted: early in the morning, sea otters floated by the Sea Bird. Steller’s sea lions hauled out on the South Marble Islands – providing endless auditory entertainment with their snorts, grunts, and barks. Mountain goats defied the rain at Gloomy Knob, and a brown bear sow and her cub were spotted high up on a cliff just before the entrance to Johns Hopkins Inlet.
Geologist Scott provided commentary as we approached the might Johns Hopkins glacier, a river of ice advancing at a rate of eight feet per day! With the serrachs, or ice-towers, stretching high above us, we gathered on the bow, and listened in respect and awe, as the ice groaned and cracked all around us. A wall of ice extended in front of us, and icebergs surrounded the ship; we were captivated by the dramatic scenery. We were not alone in the ice, however. Drawing closer to the face of the glacier, what at first seemed to be nothing more than dots along the ice turned out to be hundreds of harbor seals hauled out. Thanks to the skilled maneuvering of the bridge officers, the Sea Bird eased through the ice and we were afforded unforgettable views of the Johns Hopkins glacier, and the chance to exchange glances with the harbor seals below.
