Tag Archives: Glacier Bay

Natural Wonders of the USA- Part 1

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Natural Wonders to See

I love lists. I love to make them and then check them off. It helps me get things done so I like seeing these lists of places to see and things to experience. Like this list of Natural Wonders in each state that I found.  I decided to go through the list and see what I’ve done and what still need to be checked off. It kind of goes with my 50 State Challenge.

Best Natural Wonders to see in each state!

1. Wyoming

Lets kick it off with Wyoming. Devil’s Tower. Located in Crook County, the Devils Tower is the first national monument in the US, established by Theodore Roosevelt in 1906.  I’ve been to Wyoming. It was a great trip but I was in Jackson Hole and Devil’s Tower is to the east so I didn’t see it that trip. It’s on my bucket list.

 

2. Vermont

Next on the list is one of my neighboring states, Vermont. I’ve been hanging out in Vermont since I was a kid. It was a family tradition to take Sunday drives to Vermont and count the deer that came out to graze in the fields at dusk. My favorite weekend is the Maple Sugar Weekend when the sugar shacks open up for tours and fresh maple syrup and maple sugar abound.  You have to watch for it because it depends on the weather when it gets scheduled. But I digress- the number one Natural Wonder in Vermont is… Quechee Gorge. 

Quechee Gorge 2014- Photo Credit Deb Neumann

Yes I’ve been there. Many times. This time I took the trail to the bottom of the gorge. Most folks take their pics from U.S. Route 4 bridge. You can see the bridge in this picture. It’s pretty spectacular from the bridge too.  It is among the deepest gorges in the country and the deepest in Vermont at 165 feet.

3. Alaska

I went to Alaska in 2013. Our cruise took us into Glacier Bay. Gorgeous and number 3 on our Natural Wonders List. We went in May and it was COLD! Brrr- 

College Fjord Glaciers

Glacier Bay, Alaska – 2013

The first 3

So of the first 3 on the list I’ve been to all 3 states but only 2 of the Natural Wonders.  Can’t wait to see what the next 3 Wonders are on the list. 

 

 

Glacier Bay to Prince William Sound

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Magarie GlacierGrand Pacific Glacier

At the head of Glacier Bay next to the spectacular Margerie Glacier is a dirty black line of ice. This is the remains of the Grand Pacific Glacier. This granddaddy of them all is now receding at the rate of 30-60 ft per year. At one time it was this glacier that filled the area that is today Glacier Bay. As The Grand Pacific receded it left behind the U shaped trench to fill with water creating the magnificent Glacier Bay we see today.

Grand Pacific Glacier

Prince William Sound

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Grand Pacific Glacier marks the end of Glacier Bay. It was time to turn around and head out to more open sea. Prince William Sound is part of the Gulf of Alaska. It is located to the east side of the Kenai Peninsula. Out here the ocean is more open. It’s not as protected as the bays and straits we’ve been traversing so far. We’ve been told to stay alert and watch for abundant wildlife. Resident marine mammals include humpback, sei, fin, minke, and killer whales as well as Steller sea lions, harbor seals, and sea otters, all of which reach some of their greatest numbers in Prince William Sound. Even land animals can be seen on the narrow beaches. Some of the most common are black bears, grizzlies, moose and mountain goats. But I wouldn’t see any of them.

 

Along with open water come the waves

By now I considered myself a seasoned cruiser. I’d never been on a ship this large that rocked. I’d even told my sister that she wouldn’t need Dramamine. But Prince William Sound did me in. Seas were running 4-6 ft. Not huge but large enough for a pronounced rocking motion. It was actually pretty gentle, up and down from peak to trough and up again. If it had been a wild ride I’d probably have been ok. My adrenaline would have kicked in. Instead this gentle up and down motion sent me heading for my bunk. I spent the afternoon napping and  fighting the nausea of sea sickness So I missed the pod of orcas that passed the ship in the middle of the sound.

Orca

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Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve

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Not Just a National Park

Glacier Bay is not just a National Park. It’s also a World Heritage Site. I don’t think you can really refer to Glacier Bay as a “port of call” as there is no port. You are cruising through this huge bay surrounded by icy mountains, glaciers and ice bergs. The ice bergs were a good sign. It meant that it was warm enough to cause the glacier’s to calve, that amazing falling ice that you see on the nature shows. 

Magarie Glacier

Warm is relativeTidewater Glacier

I just said it was warm enough for the glaciers to calve. That’s not to say it was warm. It was still gray and overcast. The misty rainy weather that had been following us since Vancouver continued to be the norm. The rawness of the wind just cut through any coat you were wearing. I counted on the excitement of seeing the glaciers to keep me warm; that and running from one side of the ship to the other so I wouldn’t miss anything.

Bald Eagle on an ice floeIce Bergs and Glaciers

We maneuvered into Glacier Bay from Icy Strait, named for the abundance of ice floes. The ice floes and mini bergs bumped and rattled along the sides of the ship. We took our time so that there were no big collisions. At one point we watched an eagle sail by on one of the ice flows. The glaciers were the high point. The ice was made up of  ribbons of colors. Blues and greens abounded. 

Our Own Private Balcony

Eventually it was just too cold so we went back down to our room and settled on our balcony. That’s where I finally saw one of the glaciers calve. It was just a small piece of ice. It seemed to hover before it dropped into the ocean below. It turns out that we had a much better view from our balcony than from the top deck and we were out of the wind so it felt much warmer. 

calving Glacier

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