The steep, glacially carved walls of the fjord rose steeply on both sides of the glacier, their ice-covered summits disappearing into misty clouds. We lingered through breakfast, watching small pieces of ice tumble into the water amidst flocks of seabirds hovering at the glacier's face. Dozens of harbor seals were hauled out on floating pieces of glacial ice. The ship slowly turned and cruised out of the Inlet, headed for Margerie Glacier, the furthest reach in the Park. As we approached the Margerie, the ship first nosed up to a steep cliff, noisy with the cries of thousands of kittiwakes. The birds shape their nests out of moss, grass, and mud, on tiny ledges. Their constant activity and pervasive cries were an impressive scene and we floated for several minutes to take it all in. As we drifted, several puffins were discovered floating in the water just in front of the ship. Closer inspection revealed two species, the tufted puffin, with dashing cream-colored eyebrow-tufts, and the rarer horned puffin, with a great white face and breast. Both were still in full breeding regalia with bright orange beaks. They actually paddled toward the ship and we got good looks at their clown-like faces. One tufted puffin wielded a mouthful of silver fish.
From there, we continued on to the Margerie Glacier, a clean, blue two-mile long river of ice. In front of it, we discovered a bald eagle feeding while floating on an iceberg raft. It repeatedly bent down to bite at its prey while simultaneously raising its wings to fend off hovering gulls that tried to harass it from its catch. This drama continued as Geoff, our bartender, brought hot chocolate out on the bow to sustain us as we watched.
