Glacier Bay National Park is one of the jewels in the crown of the United States National Park Service and there is no better way to see its incredible landscapes than from a capable and comfortable expedition ship like National Geographic Venture. We had the pleasure of Park Ranger Allie joining us onboard for the day to share her knowledge of the park with a formal presentation in the lounge and through informal chats with guests on the bow. Allie told us that 700,000 visitors made it to the park last year and 90% of those came by ship. In answer to the question, “Is it ok for so many ships to be visiting such a pristine place?” she said, “Without ships as a means to access this area, all of these people would be denied an opportunity to learn about an important wilderness environment that has been set aside and protected for the people of the United States to enjoy”.
During our full day sailing in the bay, we patiently watched the glacial faces for calving events, scanned the coastline with binoculars for rocks that moved (i.e. bears!), and smiled as we passed small rafts of cute otters swimming by. It was another fabulous day in Southeast Alaska.
