Editor Pick
Glacier Bay National Park
- January 23, 2006
- Rated 5 of 5 by
callen60 from Ozarks, Missouri
The highlight of any Alaska-Vancouver cruise, Glacier Bay is Day 3 on a southbound itinerary. You've been prepped a little by College Fjord, which is one reason to sail south: your time in College Fjord won't feel like a letdown.
It's hard to imagine what this place was like when Vancouver sailed by in 1791: it was completely covered in ice. Many guidebooks will tell the story of how John Muir's guides in the late 19th century were confused because the ice had receded so rapidly, creating lots of unfamiliar landscape. Look on the national park map for the contours that show the extent of the ice and glaciers over the last two centuries and you'll see how fast the ice has uncovered this whole system of bays.
That makes it one of the only spots to study how life returns after centuries in the deep freeze. If you look carefully during your day in the bay, you may even be able to spot the relics of forests wiped out as the glaciers advanced, looking like tall weathered matchsticks on the shore.
But it's more likely you'll focus on the glaciers and the wildlife. Keep your eyes out for whales throughout your time here. The on-board naturalist will have the ship's PA system as you sail in to alert you whenever anything is spotted. We sat on our balcony and watched them whenever we could, for as long as we could.
The glaciers are amazing. We didn't get to see any big chunks calve into the bay place during the hour we spent at the face of Grand Pacific Glacier. It was hard to keep the scale in mind, but it's about a mile across. There were several ice caves visible at the base of the glacier and smaller boats sailing right up to the face, looking at them in more detail.
The park rangers will come on board as you cross the boundary. At that point, the ship's naturalists will give way to them (which was unfortunate--it was one of the few times NPS personnel were outdone by someone else). They'll set up a park gift shop in the buffet dining room. If you don't have one already, consider buying a copy of John Muir's "Travels in Alaska." He's largely responsible for preserving this place as a national park, and his joyous recounting of his several trips make a great complement to your sightseeing.
From journal Alaska by Cruise Ship: You stay, scenery travels