Glacier Bay
We awoke under gray skies as Sea Bird scudded into Johns Hopkins Inlet. Snaking around icebergs, the ship approached the glacier and nearing it, we heard the roar of “white thunder.” The sound came again and this time we saw a massive ice block fall away from the glacier’s snout. The glacier calved several times during the hour we spent drifting just off the face. There were scores of harbor seals resting on the ice that seemed unmoved by our presence. We headed south and stopped by the very blue Lamplugh glacier, and we were again treated to calving.
The wind kicked up as we headed to the eastern side of the bay, and arriving at Gloomy Knob we had to brave the elements to look for mountain goats. We found four sitting high on the rocks with their backs to the wind. Unmoving, they were a challenge to pick out, however Bryan had the spotting scope out on deck to help. As we cruised into Tidal Inlet we intently scanned the shoreline for wildlife. Our diligence paid off when we spotted a female brown bear with a cub walking on the edge of a braided river. We watched the mother bear chase and catch salmon for herself and her cub all the while moving downstream towards us.
After lunch we went to South Marble Island, which is a nesting area for seabirds and a haul out spot for Steller’s sea lions. We had good luck spotting tufted puffins on the rocky island and floating in the water. As we approached the sea lion haul out, several sea lions swam playfully under the bow. We finished our Glacier Bay visit in Bartlett Cove where we said goodbye to our ranger Jenn. We also had the chance to stretch our legs on the forest loop trail and enjoy the Visitors Center and lodge.
The final event of the day was an incredible encounter with a large pod of killer whales. Known to Native Americans as the ‘guardians of the sea’ that represent power and nobility, we certainly had that sense as we watched the tall dorsal fins of the males slicing through the silvery, shimmering waters of the late evening light. They were lunging, cavorting, and frolicking, some so close to the ship that we could hear their powerful exhalations and see their distinctive dorsal saddle patch. We lingered on the bow, grabbing at the last of the daylight, captivated by these amazing animals.
We awoke under gray skies as Sea Bird scudded into Johns Hopkins Inlet. Snaking around icebergs, the ship approached the glacier and nearing it, we heard the roar of “white thunder.” The sound came again and this time we saw a massive ice block fall away from the glacier’s snout. The glacier calved several times during the hour we spent drifting just off the face. There were scores of harbor seals resting on the ice that seemed unmoved by our presence. We headed south and stopped by the very blue Lamplugh glacier, and we were again treated to calving.
The wind kicked up as we headed to the eastern side of the bay, and arriving at Gloomy Knob we had to brave the elements to look for mountain goats. We found four sitting high on the rocks with their backs to the wind. Unmoving, they were a challenge to pick out, however Bryan had the spotting scope out on deck to help. As we cruised into Tidal Inlet we intently scanned the shoreline for wildlife. Our diligence paid off when we spotted a female brown bear with a cub walking on the edge of a braided river. We watched the mother bear chase and catch salmon for herself and her cub all the while moving downstream towards us.
After lunch we went to South Marble Island, which is a nesting area for seabirds and a haul out spot for Steller’s sea lions. We had good luck spotting tufted puffins on the rocky island and floating in the water. As we approached the sea lion haul out, several sea lions swam playfully under the bow. We finished our Glacier Bay visit in Bartlett Cove where we said goodbye to our ranger Jenn. We also had the chance to stretch our legs on the forest loop trail and enjoy the Visitors Center and lodge.
The final event of the day was an incredible encounter with a large pod of killer whales. Known to Native Americans as the ‘guardians of the sea’ that represent power and nobility, we certainly had that sense as we watched the tall dorsal fins of the males slicing through the silvery, shimmering waters of the late evening light. They were lunging, cavorting, and frolicking, some so close to the ship that we could hear their powerful exhalations and see their distinctive dorsal saddle patch. We lingered on the bow, grabbing at the last of the daylight, captivated by these amazing animals.
