Setting sail

The day started simply with breakfast at the lodge. Once we were packed, we were transported to the dock at Glacier Bay National Park. We boarded the MV Sea Wolf, along with eight other guests: Chris and Betty from New Jersey; Peter and Heidi from Washington; Ann and Ron from Michigan; and two locals from Gustavus, Ida (maybe 14 or 15) and Phil, the local fix-it guy. We were welcomed by the crew: Keith, the engineer; Tom the captain; Skylar, the 19 year old deckhand (I had a cat named Skylar when I was a kid, so it's hard to look at him, without imaging those cute furry ears); Kimber, the owner/naturalist/guide/veterinarian/biologist; and our favorite, Cheffy, aka Linda.

We started with an orientation to the boat and a lecture on boat safety. We are aboard a WWII mine sweeper that is in fabulous condition. Deb and I are bunking on the top deck, just behind the wheelhouse. The berth is about the size of my new cubicle, with a set of bunk beds, a sink, and an attached water closet with toilet and little, tiny shower. I have the top bunk, which includes a porthole and window. It should be interesting trying to get to sleep tonight with all the light streaming in. It doesn't get dark until well after midnight and the sun rises again around three-thirty.

We shoved off from the Glacier Bay dock and headed north. Almost immediately we saw five orcas traveling south. Their spray glistened off the bay, with their tall fins rising upward. They surfaced twice and then they were too far out of view once they broke from their last dive. We continued up the bay and saw numerous sea otters floating on their backs, while cracking shells and using their stomachs as dinner plates. On our way in Geikie Inlet, Kimber took us to the top deck, where they store the kayaks. She provided everyone with a safety talk and basic kayak lesson. We were each issued our safety vests and spray skirts for our trip after lunch. Our midday meal was light, soup and salad, so we were on the water quickly. Now, I have to say, I wasn't expecting to come home from Alaska with a tan, but if the weather holds, I'll be returning with some serious pigment. It was in the upper seventies while we were on the water and the sky was clear. We paddled almost two miles to the end of the inlet. Along the way we saw some waterfalls, which had originated about 3700 feet above. On each side of the inlet were hills rising steeply. On the faces of the hills, the glacier left deep horizontal scars as it retreated. Vegetation has returned but isn't terribly diverse. Did you know the last ice age ended here just over 250 years ago?

The water was cold, but it was a nice treat while we kayaked. I regularly sprinkled water on my bare arms to cool down. It is a greenish blue, with almost a milky effect from the glacial silt. As we approached the shore, the sea floor was visible several feet below. On our way back to the boat, a large bald eagle flew over the inlet, from west to east, landing in a treetop on the near shore. It swayed on the branch, as we floated by.

We returned to the boat and got settled for the next leg. I climbed to the top deck and sat in the sunshine by the wheelhouse. This is where the captain steers the boat. Inside, he was playing Jimmy Buffet, so I commented to him, "With all this sun, warm weather, beautiful boat, and Jimmy Buffet, I feel like I'm in Mexico!" He agreed it was a great day. Apparently, they are having unseasonably warm and dry weather this year, particularly today.

The anchor came up, and we chugged back into the bay. Heading north, the wind began to pick up and the temperature dropped precipitously. I ended up putting on my long underwear top, windbreaker, and gloves. It continued to cool, as we turned west into the inlet containing Reid Glacier. It's the first one we've seen today, and it terminates just short of the water line. Once we anchored, a skiff was brought around and we boarded for a quick transport to land. We hiked right to the front of the glacier. If you've never seen one, there is a lot of water flowing in and under the ice, so streams/rivers flow from within the glacier; therefore, I had to slog through a couple feet of water to get to the actual glacier, but I was determined. The only regret I have from Kilimanjaro was not visiting the glacier at the top. It was about 1/4 to 1/2 mile away from our camp and just below the summit of the mountain, but I really thought I might die if I walked one more step that day, not to mention there was no oxygen left in the air at that altitude. Anyway, I didn't do it there, but I had the chance today. So, I got my feet very wet and made my way to the glacier. It was as solid as glass and just as smooth. I looked over my shoulder and noticed everyone was ogling over the ice, so I turned quickly and gave it a lick. Brrr. It was cold and tasted like water. Not really sure what I was expecting from 200 year old ice. What's fascinating about being so close is realizing you are the first animal to walk on this dirt in thousands of years. The whole experience was quite powerful. There is a sacredness to the glaciers that, in part, come from their utter beauty. I just hope they don't come with giardia.Læs mere