Glacier Bay National Park

Alaska, USA

Sail into the protected waters of Glacier Bay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for spectacular front-row views of the park’s massive rivers of ice—including the Johns Hopkins and Margerie glaciers—where they meet the ocean. Along the way, National Park rangers board the ship to impart their knowledge of the region, and with any luck, you may hear the thunderous snap and witness the Homeric splashes of house-size icebergs as they calve into the sea.

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Glacier Bay Kayaking

Looking for an active vacation not too far? Look no further! We took a 7 days Kayaking trip in Glacier Bay in Alaska. It was one of the best experiences of our lives. We took then another 5 days Kayaking trip to watch the whales in Point Adolphus. It was a once in a life time experience, being so close to untouched nature was very special!

Glacier Bay Days...

Located in a remote area of Southeast Alaska, the beautiful Glacier Bay National Park where the land is reborn & a world returning to life. In 1794, Captain George Vancouver cruised by what is now the entrance to Glacier Bay & found it to be filled with tidewater glaciers & no bay. In 1879 almost a hundred year later John Muir visited the same area & noticed that the glacier had retreated 48 miles north into the bay. Today, those same glaciers have retreated a total of 60 miles in a little over 200 years & left behind the huge bay that is now protected as the Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve that is also know as an United Nation World Heritage Site & a Biosphere Reserve. A massive river of ice, roughly 100 miles long & thousand of feet deep, occupied the entire bay. The glacier is gone, but has retreated north with fewer than a dozen smaller tidewater glaciers remain. They are impressive in themselves where the landscape is filled with snow capped coastal mountains to the sea, an abundance of Sitka spruce & calved great shards of ice that bejewel cold waters with diamond-liked bergs. The moving rivers of ice is subject to change where it reminds man to slow down & breath deeply of the cool ice age air to imagine for a day on how the way life use to be. Glacier Bay is truly an amazing spot to explore whether it by taking a whale a watch tour from Bartlet Cover or experience it by many of the tour companies & cruises that make its way to the Margerie Glacier.

Sunset in the Fairweathers

We were on a 7 day cruise in Glacier Bay with friends. The boat was the Sea Wolf and it was a converted minesweeper from World War II. After 5 days of cruising in the inlets of Glacier Bay, including sea kayaking among the glaciers, we had a phenomenal dinner on the back deck and came around to the front of the boat as the sun was sinking in the west. A great crew, wonderful food and only 12 passengers on a trip of a lifetime!

Among the Ice Floes

Kayaking in the calm and still waters of Glacier Bay while looking for the elusive puffins and staying away from the ice floes. We could get within a quarter mile of the glaciers and weave in and out among the icebergs floating in the water. The folks on the cruise ships were quite envious as they watched from the deck.

Walking on Glaciers

With rumors of ice melting all around the world, I cherish the experiences I had on my trip to the inside passage on Wildland Adventures Alaska Northern Passages and Glacier Bay itinerary last summer which brought me up close and personal to several glaciers. I found myself hiking on-top of the massive Lamplugh Glacier, an 8 mile long and ¾ mile wide glacier that stands 180 feet tall. I took a sip of freshly melted glacial ice and leaped over deep crevasses, all while reveling in the beautiful views, clear blue skies and the icy still waters of the Glacier Bay National Park.

Sailing through ice in Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay National Park is situated in the Alaska panhandle, to the west of Juneau, the capital city. Glacier spotting is best done by boat and there are many day trip options available from within the park. Alternatively there is the option to view the glaciers from above, in a float plane or helicopter tour.

Jumping into Glacier Bay, Alaska

Water temperature approximately 37 degrees. After a week absorbing the phenomenal beauty of Alaska’s inner passage, it was great to take the absolute plunge! The water was silty from the glaciers that feed into it, but felt fantastic. I jumped in twice! Glacier Bay is accessible by ship or kayak and is one of the great wilderness areas of the US.

Glacier Bay National Park Up Close

Glacier Bay National Park was Naturalist John Muir’s playground. He explored this 25-million acre World Heritage Site in a dugout wooden canoe with several Tlingit Indians as his guides. I recently had the opportunity to discover Glacier Bay National Park on an 84-guest ship with Un-Cruise Adventures’ Safari Endeavour. Due to the nature of this small ship (232 feet in length) we were able to sail into places that larger ships could never consider. We kayaked next to tide water glaciers and watched sea otters, salmon and sea lions swim in their southeast Alaska backyard. You, too, have the opportunity to discover Glacier Bay National Park up close.

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