Glacier Bay National Park
Early this morning the Sea Lion made her way into Glacier Bay National Park. We picked up our Park Ranger Janene Driscoll at Bartlett Cove and started north deep into the bay. Our first stop was at the Beardslee Islands where hundreds of sea otters were rafting at the surface. In the early 1880s there were no sea otters in the area. Their pelts were once considered “soft gold,” and these animals were over-harvested throughout Alaska. Since protection in 1911, their numbers have increased; park biologists recently counted over 2000 sea otters in the park.
As breakfast finished we approached the South Marble Islands. We could hear a multitude of birds and sea lions from a distance. Great numbers of common murres, tufted puffins and black-legged kittiwakes were present. A pair of horned puffins were out on the water fishing along with a raft of tufted puffins. Our ranger pointed out that these horned puffins were the first pair of the season at these islands.
Continuing north from the south Marble Islands we slowed at Mount Wright and Gloomy Knob for a look at mountain goats. Along the steep-sided rocks, goats were traveling in search of food. A nanny and kid were spotted high on the rocks. Just born in the past few weeks, the little kids stay close to mom as they learn to negotiate the precarious terrain.
In the afternoon we came to the end of the west arm of the park. Just off the bow of the ship were the Grand Pacific and Marjorie Glaciers. There is considerable contrast between these two massive rivers of ice. Grand Pacific is blackened with pulverized rock and debris, while smaller Marjorie Glacier reflects many shades of blue.
As we turned south to begin our passage towards Bartlett Cove, we passed a large black-legged kittiwake colony. At first the birds were barely visible due to the back drop of the overwhelming fjord walls. But you could hear their beautiful cries. In a place this grand it is the smells, colors and sounds of the roaring sea lions, thundering ice and the calls of the birds that ground you in this sublime landscape.
Early this morning the Sea Lion made her way into Glacier Bay National Park. We picked up our Park Ranger Janene Driscoll at Bartlett Cove and started north deep into the bay. Our first stop was at the Beardslee Islands where hundreds of sea otters were rafting at the surface. In the early 1880s there were no sea otters in the area. Their pelts were once considered “soft gold,” and these animals were over-harvested throughout Alaska. Since protection in 1911, their numbers have increased; park biologists recently counted over 2000 sea otters in the park.
As breakfast finished we approached the South Marble Islands. We could hear a multitude of birds and sea lions from a distance. Great numbers of common murres, tufted puffins and black-legged kittiwakes were present. A pair of horned puffins were out on the water fishing along with a raft of tufted puffins. Our ranger pointed out that these horned puffins were the first pair of the season at these islands.
Continuing north from the south Marble Islands we slowed at Mount Wright and Gloomy Knob for a look at mountain goats. Along the steep-sided rocks, goats were traveling in search of food. A nanny and kid were spotted high on the rocks. Just born in the past few weeks, the little kids stay close to mom as they learn to negotiate the precarious terrain.
In the afternoon we came to the end of the west arm of the park. Just off the bow of the ship were the Grand Pacific and Marjorie Glaciers. There is considerable contrast between these two massive rivers of ice. Grand Pacific is blackened with pulverized rock and debris, while smaller Marjorie Glacier reflects many shades of blue.
As we turned south to begin our passage towards Bartlett Cove, we passed a large black-legged kittiwake colony. At first the birds were barely visible due to the back drop of the overwhelming fjord walls. But you could hear their beautiful cries. In a place this grand it is the smells, colors and sounds of the roaring sea lions, thundering ice and the calls of the birds that ground you in this sublime landscape.
