Glacier Bay National Park provided guests aboard National Geographic Quest with stunning views of her glaciers, mountains, marine life, and rocky landforms. Today dawned bright and sunny with majestic views of upper Tarr. We sailed northwest towards Margerie Glacier and the debris-covered terminus of Grand Pacific Glacier, the main “trunk” glacier that once filled Glacier Bay. Sea otters floated amongst the icebergs directly in front of Margerie Glacier. Margerie Glacier was active with her usual loud cracks and booms, signaling the movement of ice from within the glacier. We spent a wonderful hour or more watching and listening to the glacier, birds, and marine life. We headed back down Tarr Inlet to Johns Hopkins Inlet for an amazing view of Johns Hopkins Glacier from Jaw Point, named because the view is simply “jaw-dropping!” This is one of the most beautiful scenes on Earth, representing the dynamic interplay and interdependence of the cryosphere, geosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. This is pure, wild nature at its best!
We sailed back to Lamplugh Glacier, around the north end of Russell Island. We continued southeast towards iconic viewing spots for mountain goats (across the bay from Gilbert Peninsula), sea lions, and tufted puffins at South Marble Island. Along the way, we also observed numerous humpback whales and sea otters within Glacier Bay. The ship could not dock at Park Headquarters (at Bartlett Cove) due to winds, so we made our way to calmer waters and a delicious dinner of crabcakes and other incredible entrees – the food on the ship is always amazing! The weather was beautiful, the glaciers spectacular, the sea otters adorable, and the whales were awesome. This was a day that everyone will remember forever! Glacier Bay is a sacred part of our planet that needs protection and preservation for all time.
