After leaving Vancouver we cruise the Inside Passage headed for Glacier Bay Basin in south-eastern Alaska, which encompasses the Glacier Bay and surrounding mountains and glaciers, which was first proclaimed a U.S. National Monument in 1925, and later, in 1980, enlarged and designated as the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.
The spectacularly rugged snow-capped coastline as we make our way towards Glacier Bay.
The lowlands near the mouth of Glacier Bay cloaked in a spruce/hemlock rainforest.
As we head deeper into the bay we encounter glacial silt suspended in meltwater making the water appear cloudy.
Our ship leaves a turquoise path in its wake through the glacial milk as we head deeper into Glacier Bay past Russell Island.
As we enter Tarr Inlet the weather begins to close in around us.
Low cloud and mist shroud the rocky shoreline.
Looming out of the mist on the portside of the ship is Margerie Glacier.
The grandeur and scale of Margerie Glacier's snout is demonstrated as it towers above our cruise ship.
Seagulls find an icy resting place.
Mountains and mist form eyrie backdrop to the glacier.
An ice cave accentuates the many colours in the ice of the glacial face.
Three frames capture a brief moment in time as a huge section of ice calves from the face and crash into the sea..........
........ the ice boulders explode into the water
........... the splashdown widens generating surface waves.
Located at the deep end of the Glacier Bay, Margerie Glacier has a width of about 1.6 km as it enters the inlet and extends upstream for a length of 34 km.
The Grand Pacific Glacier, at the head of the Tarr Inlet on the north, has a streaked face covered with gravel and stones.
spruce/hemlock rainforest and lush, spongy tracts of muskeg.
We leave Glacier Bay National Park in our wake.
The gold and magenta hues of twilight emerge as the sun recedes below Glacier Bay Basin.
Click on the image below to view a compilation of several video clips which endeavour to capture the grandeur of Margerie Glacier and the awesome calving process.
Juneau, is the capital city of Alaska. Located in the Gastineau Channel and the Alaskan panhandle.
Low cloud and rain greet us on arrival to Juneau.
Mendenhall glacier only 12 miles north of the city is an impressive sight despite the inclement weather.
Huge blocks of ice float in Mendenhall lake.
The view from one of the walking trails across marshlands towards the lake.
Nothing better to do on an inclement day but head for the infamous Red Dog Saloon.
A quick check for firearms before entering.
Live entertainment for a small but enthusiastic crowd.
Juneau Harbour, one of only two ways of entering (or leaving) the Alaskan Capital the other is by air (Oh... that is, unless you are born or die here).
As one cruise ship departs another arrives, ........and the weather improves.
Scagway, a popular stopover for cruise ships as the tourist trade is now a big part of the business of Skagway. A popular excursion is a train trip on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway Built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush.
Downtown Ketchikan is a National Historic District. Ketchikan also has the world's largest collection of standing totem poles.
