Glacier Bay National Park
We began the day taking on two additional passengers at Bartlett Cove – National Park Ranger Brad Mason and Cultural Heritage Guide for the Huna people, Faith Grant. They had an early start to their day, boarding the Sea Bird at 5:45a.m., necessary because of the long 110-mile-roundtrip journey to the end of the bay, a mere 1-2 miles from the Canadian/U.S. border. Our first stop right after breakfast, at Marble Island, was a sensory overload with the sights, sounds and smells of a crowded Steller sea lion haul-out, and over 10 species of birds, many of them nesting or preying on the nesting results. Rafts of common murres, swimming in rows like kindergarten students, tufted puffins struggling to get their fish-filled bellies over the wave crests while wildly flapping their wings to take-off, and even a couple of rarely-seen horned puffins were highlights of the early morning.
Ranger Mason gave excellent interpretation to the scenery and wildlife as we travelled down the bay. Seventeen different white spots on the hills surrounding the bay became mountain goats as we approached closer, fearlessly traversing the steep and rocky terrain. We were soon winding our way around endless icebergs as we approached the Margerie Glacier at the end of the bay. At over 250’ high and a mile across, this massive tidewater glacier did not disappoint as she calved her offspring into the 34-degree water. We were buzzed by bald eagles, Arctic terns, kittiwakes and glaucous-winged gulls while sitting and watching this grand and glorious show of power and force.
On our return trip we learned about the culture of the Huna tribe of the Tlingits, thanks to Faith. In her language there is no word for good-bye, only “Tsu’ yei Eekwasateen” or “Until we meet again.” So with that, I would like to leave you with the poetry and observations of one of our younger travelers, John Wynn.
“What! I can’t even sit down! No, we go outside and see a bear. Come back inside and then the calving of the Margerie Glacier and then three wolves. I can’t even wait until tomorrow. I am so excited I can’t sleep because I am looking forward to tomorrow’s adventure. “- John Wynn, guest, age 12
A wesome
L ovely
A ctive
S o cool
K ayak
A dventure
