There was a feeling of anticipation as the guests slowly emerged from their cabins, anxious to see the grandeur of Glacier Bay National Park for the first time. How disheartening to see the look on their faces as the dense fog prevented any view of the outside world. This would not last long however, and it was as if it had been planned all along as the Sea Bird broke from the fog and blue skies and the Fairweather Mountains presented themselves in a grand fashion. Earlier in the morning, we picked up J. T., a ranger with the National Park Service and Faith, a Tlingit native who would fill our day with stories and folklore of her native people. Breakfast was eaten in haste, as it is hard to stay inside when so much beauty is waiting out on deck.
Our first stop was South Marble Island, which is the home of a small but bountiful colony of seabirds and a favorite haul out site for Steller's sea lions. Tufted and horned puffins, murres, guillemots, and kittiwakes, were just a few of the species we found there. T. J. had challenged us to find the ten species of seabirds one might see there. We only got nine on his list, but added a few species of our own like harlequin duck and of course the ever present bald eagles. A surprise to all on board was the sudden explosion of spouts as three humpback whales cruised around the island looking to satisfy their own needs in the rich waters of Glacier Bay.
Our resident geologist Jeff spent most of the day explaining the processes of glaciation—who would have guessed there was so much to learn about rocks? All through the day we cruised along the glacially carved fjord and our efforts to find wildlife were not in vain. Word came from the bridge that a mountain goat was seen along the cliffs. As we searched for the goat that had been spotted, we found not one, but many goats, many with kids. A very special view was afforded us when one of the goats came down to the water’s edge with her kid. Ranger J. T. mentioned that it was the best look he had ever had from the boat. Soon after, one of the guests spotted the first brown bear of the trip. All eyes were glued to binoculars searching the hillside for the brown furry thing walking across the landslide. There seemed to be some confusion as one person would call out directions on where to look, and another would contradict him as they shouted out their own opinion. It was only after we set up a spotting scope did we realize we had two separate bears along the hillside.
Finally, we reached the end of our day’s voyage at the foot of Margerie Glacier. Towering above the water, spires of ice shone brightly in the sun. Today was not the glaciers most active days, but when she finally let go of some of the ice on her face, it was a grand and dramatic sight. The explosion of ice and seawater is a magnificent sight, one none of us will soon forget.
