Glacier Bay National Park
The National Geographic Sea Lion brought us into Johns Hopkins Inlet in the far reaches of Glacier Bay National Park early this morning, pushing and sliding past growlers and a few bergie bits to get a look at the face of Johns Hopkins Glacier. From a distance we could hear the thunderous roar of calvings from the active ice front.
On our way out we paused at Lamplugh Glacier, which sits on its moraine at sea level and only partially reaches tidewater – mostly at high tide. A silty meltwater stream poured out from under the glacier, having melted a keyhole shape through the ice. Chunks of ice had fallen in a heap at the face, exposing fresh blue ice to the air after having been under great pressure for perhaps hundreds of years. This glacier may continue its retreat and thus open a valley leading to the Brady Icefield above it. Similar recessions are occurring with other glaciers throughout Alaska and the world.
Margerie Glacier, at the north end of Tarr Inlet, was constantly grumbling and dropping small pieces of ice into the water below. These were punctuated by frequent larger calvings and then, before we turned to leave, the biggest and most spectacular display of “white thunder” sent a huge wave toward the ship. The splash and the following sound were tremendous. It was very impressive from just ¼ mile away. The Grand Pacific Glacier, covered with morainal rubble originating from high Canadian peaks, and hardly recognized as a river of ice, was all but ignored in the presence of its superstar neighbor.
Having reached the northernmost point of our voyage, we turned to head back down the bay to explore some of the shoreline and search for wildlife. In Tidal Inlet we were not disappointed when a brown (grizzly) bear was spotted roaming around a gravel outwash fan. Shortly, a huge dark sow with two large cubs appeared, causing the first bear to sprint off. Soon we saw the same bear running down toward the shoreline, giving us a good view from the safety of our vessel. The sow and cubs also reappeared, providing us with an opportunity to speculate about the interactions we witnessed between these wild, iconic animals.
On the west side at mid bay we entered Geikie Inlet and observed at least twenty bald eagles assembled at a salmon stream on the north side. Later we followed a black bear along this shoreline.
South Marble Island is a nesting area for several species of seabirds, including black-legged kittiwakes, glaucous-winged gulls, pigeon guillemots, common murres, pelagic cormorants, and tufted and horned puffins. It is also a haul-out for Steller sea lions. We experienced quite a sensory overload – sights, sounds, smells – and it was as if we could reach out and touch this scene. We were completely immersed and surrounded.
We continued on our way toward Bartlett Cove but were interrupted yet again. This time it was a pod of killer whales that drew our attention and brought us back out onto the decks. Seven or eight whales in our vicinity, including a big male with a tall dorsal fin, made close passes by the ship.
National Park Service Ranger Emily Mount traveled with us throughout the day to interpret our experience in the park. Culture, history, biology and geology are all part of what Glacier Bay has to offer and are the reasons for protecting this unique and unforgettable ecosystem. Glaciers, birds, bears and marine mammals have given us an exceptional experience, along with an insight into the past and some hope for the future. It is certainly a privilege to travel in places such as Glacier Bay National Park and it is heartening to realize that pristine reserves still exist on our diverse and beautiful planet.
The National Geographic Sea Lion brought us into Johns Hopkins Inlet in the far reaches of Glacier Bay National Park early this morning, pushing and sliding past growlers and a few bergie bits to get a look at the face of Johns Hopkins Glacier. From a distance we could hear the thunderous roar of calvings from the active ice front.
On our way out we paused at Lamplugh Glacier, which sits on its moraine at sea level and only partially reaches tidewater – mostly at high tide. A silty meltwater stream poured out from under the glacier, having melted a keyhole shape through the ice. Chunks of ice had fallen in a heap at the face, exposing fresh blue ice to the air after having been under great pressure for perhaps hundreds of years. This glacier may continue its retreat and thus open a valley leading to the Brady Icefield above it. Similar recessions are occurring with other glaciers throughout Alaska and the world.
Margerie Glacier, at the north end of Tarr Inlet, was constantly grumbling and dropping small pieces of ice into the water below. These were punctuated by frequent larger calvings and then, before we turned to leave, the biggest and most spectacular display of “white thunder” sent a huge wave toward the ship. The splash and the following sound were tremendous. It was very impressive from just ¼ mile away. The Grand Pacific Glacier, covered with morainal rubble originating from high Canadian peaks, and hardly recognized as a river of ice, was all but ignored in the presence of its superstar neighbor.
Having reached the northernmost point of our voyage, we turned to head back down the bay to explore some of the shoreline and search for wildlife. In Tidal Inlet we were not disappointed when a brown (grizzly) bear was spotted roaming around a gravel outwash fan. Shortly, a huge dark sow with two large cubs appeared, causing the first bear to sprint off. Soon we saw the same bear running down toward the shoreline, giving us a good view from the safety of our vessel. The sow and cubs also reappeared, providing us with an opportunity to speculate about the interactions we witnessed between these wild, iconic animals.
On the west side at mid bay we entered Geikie Inlet and observed at least twenty bald eagles assembled at a salmon stream on the north side. Later we followed a black bear along this shoreline.
South Marble Island is a nesting area for several species of seabirds, including black-legged kittiwakes, glaucous-winged gulls, pigeon guillemots, common murres, pelagic cormorants, and tufted and horned puffins. It is also a haul-out for Steller sea lions. We experienced quite a sensory overload – sights, sounds, smells – and it was as if we could reach out and touch this scene. We were completely immersed and surrounded.
We continued on our way toward Bartlett Cove but were interrupted yet again. This time it was a pod of killer whales that drew our attention and brought us back out onto the decks. Seven or eight whales in our vicinity, including a big male with a tall dorsal fin, made close passes by the ship.
National Park Service Ranger Emily Mount traveled with us throughout the day to interpret our experience in the park. Culture, history, biology and geology are all part of what Glacier Bay has to offer and are the reasons for protecting this unique and unforgettable ecosystem. Glaciers, birds, bears and marine mammals have given us an exceptional experience, along with an insight into the past and some hope for the future. It is certainly a privilege to travel in places such as Glacier Bay National Park and it is heartening to realize that pristine reserves still exist on our diverse and beautiful planet.
