Monday, September 7
Today we disappointingly awoke to misty rain and we had already entered Glacier Bay. Thankfully, as we proceeded up the Bay towards Margerie Glacier and the Grand Pacific Glacier, the low cloud lifted somewhat and it became relatively clear. Our ship had picked up the National Park Rangers off Bartlett Cove around 6.00 am and they began their commentary at 8.00 am. Blankets and binoculars were available on Deck 14 and many passengers had gone there to avail themselves of these items. As we had our own binoculars and wet weather gear, we decided to watch from Deck 7 where the commentary was also being broadcast.
On deck as we travelled up Glacier Bay in misty rain
The beautiful blues and greens of the Margerie Glacier
Although the sun was not shining, the brilliant bright blues and greens were clearly seen on the glaciers. Our ship slowed right down as we drew alongside the Margerie Glacier - known for its brilliant colours - and to those of us on the starboard side's delight, there was a thunderous sound and a huge carving of ice broke away from the glacier and slipped into the sea breaking into many small icebergs. I would have to say it was one of the most thrilling sights of my life and luckily, Alan caught it all on video. Alaska is truly one of the most amazingly beautiful and pristine places on earth and it should be on everyone's "bucket list".
Such beauty!
The rangers were great - very informative but not talking all the time. Watching all this unfolding before your eyes is about as much as your senses can cope with at one time so a ranger describing what was happening was definitely not required. Apart from the initial gasps as the carving started to move, most people were very quiet and I guess, were overcome by the majesty and power of nature they were witnessing.
John Hopkins Glacier with its stripes
It was very cold out on deck (top temp today of 8C) so we were happy to have a break inside and enjoy a hot coffee but were anxious not to miss anything so were back on deck as soon as possible. After September 1, a limited number of cruise ships are allowed to travel up the John Hopkins Inlet and we were one of them. The John Hopkins Glacier at the top of the inlet was amazing to see with dark stripes running down it making it an unusually attractive sight. About noon we departed the John Hopkins Inlet sailing past another glacier - the Lamplugh Glacier. They are all breathtakingly beautiful and so majestic that you can't help feeling very small yourself.
Such majesty!
Once out of the Inlet, the scenery was a repeat of what we had seen on the way up so many people made their way to dining rooms and restaurants for lunch. (Even when surrounded by amazing scenery such as this, cruisers have to be fed!)
At 1.00 pm the Senior Park Ranger gave a talk in one of the theaters all about Glacier Bay and all the creatures, including plankton, that make it their home - even if only for part of the year. The talk was informative, interesting and well presented so we were glad we had attended.
Feeling the Cold on Deck
At 3.00 pm the Rangers were dropped off at Bartlett Cove again and we began our journey to Whittier (Anchorage) where we will arrive on Wednesday morning. Our on-board Naturalist, Mark Harris and everyone else was on whale watch alert but only lots of sea lions, seals, otters and myrrh birds were spotted. They are great to watch but you can't help feeling glad you are on deck all rugged up and not in that freezing, pale turquoise glacier water.
Waving the Pilots Goodbye
After the pilots disembarked we headed into the Pacific Ocean, and there was a lot more sun to highlight the beauty of the coastline and the enormity of the mountains behind the massive glaciers that spilled into the sea. Along this coastline were the La Perouse and North Crillon glaciers, then the largest of all, the Fairweather glacier. These glaciers descend from the 10,000 - 15,000 feet (3200 - 4700 metre) tall mountains in the Fairweather Range, and with the sun glistening on the snow capped peaks the journey along the coast was breath taking, and rivaled the impact of the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls on us.
The three glaciers
The magnificent Fairweather Range
The day was capped off with the Captain's Champagne Party for returning Princess guests then our last Formal Night for this cruise. Lobster is always on the menu on these nights along with the freshest salmon and some of the most fabulous food imaginable. Needless to say, we are all sadly carrying extra pounds and we have only been away a week and a half. We have walked many circuits of the Promenade Deck but this has not come close to equalling the calorie intake. Hopefully things will improve once we are off the ship.
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