5 17 GLACIER BAY

The day dawned and we were worried about the weather. We were unable to go into Glacier Bay on our first trip to Alaska in August of 2002, but today the clouds were high and no wind. There is not much to say about the bay, you just have to look, and look and LOOK.

We are entering the bay. Yes those are icebergs, little ones.

No, that is NOT an Orca on the deck.....It is just the best way to watch the scenery when you have been on your feet for 4 hours, running from one side of the ship to the other.

Look closely....On the lower rocks are two white mountain sheep.

Now the bear is easier to see. We saw some other bears, but they were too far away to get a picture. This bear was near the Grand Pacific Glacier (named after our ship, the Pacific Princess...ok, not really)

Most of the icebergs were clean ice, like this one

but some were filled with dirt and rocks. This one was particularly interesting,

We had some ondeck entertainment during the day.

Then we got to one of the main legs of the Bay. This picture was our first view of 2 glaciers. On the left is a blue glacier and straight ahead is the Grand Pacific Glacier, which looks like a wall, since it is totally black from the dirt and rocks carried down from mountains. This dark glacier moved forward so fast that the natives that lived below it said it moved as "fast as a dog could run". Scientific studies have shown proof that this was true.

Blue glacier

close up. Look at the cracks and the holes.

This glacier has receded up the valley

Look at the beautiful colors on this rock and how it reflects in the still water. Gorgeous

Look at the colors in the rock. Looks like someone painted it.

Not too shabby, huh?

Later in the year the glaciers calve more, but we were lucky enough to see some. It is not easy to catch one on film, but Duane lucked out (actually you lucked out since Duane got the picture)

Just another pretty picture

Up the other leg of the Bay is Johns Hopkins Glacier. We couldn't go all the way in to see it close up since the area was closed to protect the harbor seals, who were about to have their cubs on the icebergs.

We did get this close, tho

Here is our advertisement for Princess.

The sunsets here are awesome. And it lasts for hours.....I mean HOURS! At 1 am the sunset was still going on.

This was taken earilier in the day, but it, too, is beautiful.