Alaska - Glacier Bay


I expected our day cruising through the 3.3 million acre Glacier Bay National Park to be the highlight of our Alaska cruise and I wasn’t disappointed. The park features more than 50 named glaciers, including seven tidewater glaciers, plus all the fjords and rugged mountains that have been sculpted by the ice over millennia. Sadly, as is the case in the rest of the world, most of the glaciers are in retreat thanks to climate change. So now seemed like a good time to see them.  There is also wildlife to see in Glacier Bay, although for some reason the animals tend to keep their distance when our lumbering giant of a cruise ship pushes into their neighborhood. Still, we did get some distant views of whales and otters and sea lions to add to the spectacular scenery.


The day started foggy and overcast but eventually the sun come out, which is why Deborah is squinting like a mole in this photo.


















Margerie Glacier. We spent the most time in front of this magnificent tidewater glacier, waiting for chunks of ice to calve off to make ice bergs.



...like this one.




Everybody gets a good view.











Mount Cooper and Lamplugh Glacier



Lamplugh Glacier







Ice makes a good raft.



South Marble Island, a favorite hangout for sea lions



Sea lions on the rocks



The ship's wake
(photo by Deborah)



(photo by Deborah)



Deborah's first mate
(photo by Deborah)



Part of the Fairweather Range as viewed when we sailed out of Glacier Bay through Cross Sound




Your moment of zen: Deborah's video of cruising on Glacier Bay



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