Glacier Bay National Park is the second largest national park in the U.S., and is graced with over 1000 glaciers. The vast majority of the surface of this park is water, either in the form of ice or the waterways that wind throughout the bay and along the open coastline. The tall snowy peaks of the Fairweather Range tower overhead impressively, sending coastal moisture skyward to fall as the nourishing rain of the lush temperate rainforest. We were lucky for the opportunity to cruise a great expanse of the bay all day, visiting numerous glaciers and watching wildlife.
The entire day within the park was a feast for the senses. We sipped our morning coffees as multitudes of sea otters preened their fur and fed. We watched mountain goats guide their young across the steep rocky terrain of Gloomy Knob. We ate lunch with stunning views of Lamplugh Glacier out the stern windows. Harbor seals drifted along on floating ice while arctic terns swooped and dove. Our jaws hit the floor during a long, thundering calving event at Margerie Glacier. We watched as tufted puffins, pelagic cormorants, and black-legged kittiwakes flew and fished amid the moans of Steller sea lions on South Marble Island.
