Glacier Bay National Park
Our day began early, at 6am, as the National Geographic Sea Lion nuzzled up to the dock at Bartlett Cove. Soon after picking up our Ranger, Emily (accompanied by her two protégés Amanda and Becky) and Alice (our Huna Tlingit cultural interpreter) the lines were cast and we pushed away to begin our full day expedition through the wildness of Glacier Bay National Park.
The morning skies were grey with intermittent drops of rain pattering on the deck, a typical springtime day in Southeast Alaska. Undeterred, the National Geographic Sea Lion bullied its way up the bay, against the strong current. We found ourselves at South Marble Island and were greeted by the harmonious barks of Steller (Northern) sea Lions. There were even Sea Otters in the distance rolling around and dancing with their playful counterparts. Many species of birds were found as well, including the black-legged kittiwake, pelagic cormorant, bald eagles, black oystercatchers and the shy, tufted puffin. Shortly after our pass aside South Marble Island and the encounters with the wildlife, we were treated to an informative talk in the lounge by Alice about her Tglingit heritage. Her presence was calming. The time in the lounge also allowed everyone to warm up their bones with some hot tea and coffee before heading back up to the bow for our next wild encounter: a hungry coastal brown bear!
We arrived at Tidal Inlet. The clouds still permeated and hovered above us and glimpses of half bodied snow covered mountains appeared in the distance. The scene is both mystical and magical. As we peer out onto shore we see our first close-up look at a coastal brown bear. It’s a lone wanderer perhaps most recently moved from its winters den. The next twenty minutes were dedicated to this marvelous animal as we watched it forage by lifting and swatting under boulders throughout the intertidal zone.
After lunch and into the afternoon, we gathered out on deck once again, this time to admire the beautiful, almost cobalt in color, Margerie Glacier. We watched and waited for the moments when ice would calve off the face and crash with a resounding splash into the water followed by the distinctive clap of “white thunder”. All of this excitement makes for one fantastic day in beautiful Southeast Alaska.
