What not to do 07.22

We’re leaving Glacier Bay National Park today. I’m sad to go. In the absolutely wrongheaded spirit of the “Eyes on Wildlife: Alaska Checklist” that we I picked up in a visitor’s center somewhere (and which can get me, or an excited 7 year old, a certificate of achievement for checking off enough stuff!), we saw:

·         Black bears

·         Brown bears

·         Seals

·         Sea lions

·         Wolves Wolf

·         Humpback whales

·         Orcas

·         Harbor porpoises

·         Dall’s porpoises

·         Grey whales

·         Sea otters

·         Lots of fish

·         Lots and lots of birds

·         And, oh! Glaciers and icebergs! (I know, they’re not wildlife, gimme a break.)

The only thing left is to decide whether or not I’m mailing in my checklist.

Fingers Bay 07.21

We’re anchored in this absolutely idyllic bay. Porpoises. Sunset. Fire. Ah.

Kayaking with Kathy 07.20

Life cycles, 07.19

Happy birthday, pop!

The rest of this post leans morbid. I’m saving the pictures for after the jump, because they’re a little gross. But, last summer a 41-foot humpback whale carcass washed up on one of the shores in the park. All summer, it fed bears, wolves, and a whole lot of other animals. And then, it disappeared. And then it reappeared. On a different shore across the bay. We went by to take a look yesterday.

A little bit about Glacier Bay

To warn you, this is an abbreviated account of everything I’ve learned about glaciers in the last week, so…

Our last two glaciers 07.18

This afternoon we went down Johns Hopkins inlet to see Lampugh Glacier and Johns Hopkins glacier. They might be the most impressive we’ve seen yet. Here’s Johns Hopkins:

We got about an eighth of a mile away from Lampugh, which is closer than we’ve been able to get to any of these in the boat.

We’ll catch a last glimpse of Reid Glacier on our way south, but then we’re out of tidewater glacier territory.  We’ve also gone as far north as we’ll go, so from now on our days will be getting shorter and possibly warmer.

Margerie Glacier 07.17

Feelin’ like a little tiny cherry in a giant slushy cocktail.

Ice ice and more ice 07.17

You’re supposed to learn things about yourself when you’re traveling, right? Well, I have discovered that I have a not so mild case of being-separated-from-my-kayak-by-grizzlies anxiety. So, I spent the afternoon exploring the face of Reid glacier one stretch of beach at a time, as such: get to shore, look for bears, drag kayak up, look for bears, look at glacier, walk up to glacier, look for bears, look to make sure tide hasn’t washed kayak out, look for bears, take photo, check for kayak, look for bears, walk back to kayak, paddle 100 yards down the shore, repeat.

Reid Inlet 07.16

Anchored about a mile away from the face of Reid Glacier.

Grizzlies on shore!

Less whales, more ice 07.16

Motored deeper into the park this afternoon.

As we go farther north, we’ll see more glaciers, more bergie bits, and, we’re expecting, less whales. They don’t seem to like the murky glacial water.

Tip tap 07.16

Anchored in a place called North Sandy Cove.

I’m sitting in the galley typing on my laptop, and there’s a black bear foraging about a quarter of a mile behind me, on the shore. How odd, to be sitting at the kitchen table, watching a bear. And, oh! Now the porpoises! And a bald eagle. This is getting ridiculous.

Sea otter 07.15

Equally unimpressed by us and the whales.

WHALES! 07.14

What a day!!