Glacier Bay National Park
Today can be best expressed in the words of our resident Australian as he stood outside (donned in his Australian-not-Alaskan winter weather gear): “…what’s happening?” And what was happening indeed, for at one moment we were standing on the decks watching the Margerie Glacier pass slowly by in its majestic glory, and the next we were watching the Margerie Glacier pass slowly by in its majestic glory… in the snow. The effect was softening, like a simple petticoat on the glacier and surrounding rock, so while the Australian might still have wondered what was falling around him the rest of us were surprised and delighted to see the winter come down as we sailed through Glacier Bay National Park.
Snow wasn’t the only thing we saw today as we explored what has been dubbed “the nations quietest national park.” From right after breakfast with our first sighting of a brown bear, to the 30-odd mountain goats dotting the steep walls, to the second and third brown bears throughout the afternoon, the day was full of wildlife and history. Not to mention action, which—while some people have different definitions of the word—I would definitely use to describe the calving we witnessed from Margerie Glacier. Park Rangers had joined our party early in the morning and throughout the day they helped us see the richness and glory that Glacier Bay holds, making it a serene place to spend the hours. To finish the day we docked at Bartlett Cove and wandered around the loop boardwalk trail near the lodge, looking at the early spring as it sprouts amongst buds and mosses. Soon there will be flora and fauna alike to watch from that boardwalk, but for now it was a beautiful, calm spot to round out our visit.
