July 11 – Day 72 --- Glacier Bay

July 11 – Day 72 — Glacier Bay 

 

On the move today in search of Glaciers, Icebergs, Mt Goats, Bear, and whatever else we might see in the area.  This is truly an amazing place.  The glaciers seen in Glacier Bay today are the remains of the 'Little Ice Age' that began about 340 years ago and reached a max extent in this area around 1750 when melting began.   While most of the glaciers are receding, a couple are growing.  In 2004 the John Hopkins glacier was advancing at a rate of 8 feet per day, while the Grand Pacific was receding about 4 feet per day.  Per the books the McBride Glacier is the most active and is retreating about 3,000 feet per year.     The air temp in Glacier Bay is generally in the 50's.    Entrance into the park is limited by a permit process.  They only allow 25 boats in the bay at any one time.  So, with staggered entry dates and lengths of permits (up to 7 days) it is likely that only 3-4 boats can enter on any one day.

 

It is amazing to see the carved-out valleys some still with ice along the route.   The hills tops are very high and it is hard to think that at one point the ice filled these valleys to the tops of the peaks.   

Geographical facts – the moving ice does not carve the hillside walls, it is the rocks embedded in the ice that carve these walls.  Rock scraping on rock, and the ice picking up more rock along the way.  

 

The water is an aqua color and has a temp of 43.

 

We passed m/v Tonic near Reid glacier, they stayed in the Reid anchorage last night and had 20 knot winds all night.   We had the same in Reid when we stayed there on previous trips.   Brian and Steve managed to get into the park a couple days early so are ahead of us in this part of the adventure.  We chatted on the radio about where they have gone in the park.  Rats would  have liked to spend some time with them.   Took some photos to send to them.    These guys tend to move fast from one place to another (they called it an appetizer trip), while we tend to take more time and do more exploring.

 

Glaciers  that we saw today in order of sight/viewing.

·       Casement  …. 7/10 To the NE on the way to Blue Mouse Cove

·       Rendu ….. across from Blue Mouse Cove

·       Hanging – Hugh Miller?

o   Eagle photos

 

·       Reid

o   History - 1879 ---- ice wall across entire bay.

o   963 feet deep. Small ice bergs in water.  We looked from the entrance but did not go into the bay.  You can anchor out in front of it, but there is a steady cold wind coming off of it that is not all that pleasant.

 

 

·       Lamplugh     

o   Water out in front is 300 feet deep

o   Comes down to water, then has rock wall/beach in front with bergy bits on it.  at higher tide that would be underwater.  Today we are at low tide (20 ft swing this week) so it would likely look very different with higher water.

o   It appears to have receded quite a bit since our last visit of 2016. 

o   Calved for us in 2016 but not today.  There was a steady river of water coming out from under the glacier.

 

 

 

Hills along the route range from a couple thousand feet and very rugged to 6,800 feet 

 

Mt Fairweather is 15,300 feet.   It is out in front of us by 20 miles and is currently hidden from view due to clouds.

 

 

Entering John Hopkins Inlet

·       Hoonah  Glacier on left with lots of dirt on top, comes clear down to the water. Water out front is 800 feet deep, and 37 degrees

 

 

 

Gilman Glacier on left comes about ½ way downhill followed by snowfield below.

Gilman Glacier?

 

 

·       John Hopkins Glacier is the largest in this inlet

 

 

On way out was the ‘unnamed’ glacier which is mostly covered in dirt, but has an impressive waterfall that shoots water straight out like a broken fire hydrant.

Another hanging glacier

 

John Hopkins Glacier

 

 

Magic and I at John Hopkins Glacier

Glen was in the Jet

 

 

Deceiving but the glacier wall is over 150 feet tall and 1000 feet wide, running about 4 miles long up to the Brady Icefield.

 

Leaving Johns Hopkins Glacier 

Headed to Margerie and Grand Pacific glaciers.  Weather changed and we now have mist and fog.  Might not be able to see these two glaciers but we have 3 miles to go so who knows the weather could clear.   

The sky cleared enough to see the glaciers.   

·       Margerie welcomed us with a calving just as we arrived.   One of if not my favorite.  Simply stunning!   Margerie looks to have grown and pushed out into the water further than it had been in 2016.  Still a very beautiful glacier.   It calved several times while we were there.  With any luck we got some on video.

 

·       The Grand Pacific is covered with dirt at the terminus at the water and seems to be at about the same position as in 2016.   From a distance you can see it’s uplands massive white icefield.  It reportedly goes back some 12 miles. 

 

It appears that Margerie and Grand Pacific still touch or are very close to touching just above the shoreline at the corner where they meet. 

The photos below are not necessarily in order and may not be identified by name correctly but I tried to keep better track of which glacier was which this year.  Forgot to use my plan of photographing a piece of paper with the glacier name as we approached each one.   It was a good plan but the plan got lost in the excitement.  

 

Nelsea and crew at the Margerie Glacier

 

Bidarka and crew – Margerie Glacier

 

Magic and Crew – Margerie Glacier

  

 

Pick your route

Sea Otter - happy to see us, and clapping

 

Aqua water in Russell Island anchorage

 

The water ranges from Agua to dark to a muddy brown throughout Glacier Bay; depending on where you are, near a stream, closer to a glacier, etc…   The Agua is the prettiest.   Steve said it looks like he is in the Caribbean, so I said okay go swimming and I’ll bet you change your mind pretty fast.

 

After a long day of glacier viewing, we anchored and stern tied at the Russell Island anchorage in 75 feet of water.   It rained most of the evening.