The next day we would leave Copper River and head to Whittier where we would board our cruise ship, the Coral Princess.  There are lots of different opinions on the kind of cabin you may want to book for your cruise.  Some people spend very little time in their cabin and plan to enjoy the public spaces.  These people may opt for a less expensive, inside cabin.  We decided to book a mini suite which included a small sitting area and walk out balcony.  We certainly spent time in public spaces, but it was nice to have a quiet place where we could enjoy scenery.  I thoroughly enjoyed being on our balcony – often enjoying a cup of tea on our balcony in the early morning.  But the kind of cabin you choose really comes down to personal preference.  You will find pictures of cabins and reviews of specific cabins online (sites like cruise critic) so you can get a good idea of your different choices.  Cabins on higher decks are generally considered more desirable.  We did not encounter rough waters on our trip but if that is a concern, opt for a cabin on a lower deck that is near the center of the ship.

As we traveled to Whittier, we would see wildlife and glaciers – including a stop at the Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Site.

During our first full day on board, we arrived near Hubbard Glacier in the afternoon.  Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in North America.  Tidewater glaciers have periods where they retreat and advance.  Hubbard Glacier is 76 miles long and 1,200 feet deep.  It has been called the “Galloping Glacier” because it is quickly advancing toward the Gulf of Alaska.

The next day we sailed in Glacier Bay National Park.  We visited in early June – while it is cold, there is less rain in May and June and we were blessed with a beautiful day.  We knew we had a special day when we saw lots of crew members taking pictures right beside the passengers.  We spent most all of our time on deck enjoying the views.  The crew had prepared an elaborate buffet including reindeer chili, salmon, halibut, shrimp, salads and other great food.

We entered Glacier Bay at Icy Strait.  A glacier is a large mass of moving ice originating from compacted snow.  Glaciers are like slow-moving rivers of ice.  As glaciers move downhill, they pick up and carry rock and other debris.  If you look carefully at the fifth picture below, you will see a ship in the foreground.  This will help to give you an appreciation for the massive size of the glaciers.  You will also notice that the ice in glaciers appears blue.  This is because when light hits the ice, long wavelength colors such as red are absorbed while the shorter wavelengths – blue colors – are reflected back and seen by our eyes.

We traveled about 50 miles into Glacier Bay making our way to the Tarr Inlet with views of the Grand Pacific and Margerie Glaciers.  In the first picture, Margerie Glacier is in the foreground and the Grand Pacific Glacier (which is gray in color) is situated behind it.  The Grand Pacific Glacier is 25 miles long and extends into British Columbia.  It is the fastest receding glacier – it retreated back into Canada and then crossed back into the United States in 1948.  It is the only tidewater glacier in Alaska that crosses an international border.  After many years of separation, the Grand Pacific and Margerie Glaciers are now joined together again.

Margerie Glacier is a 21 mile-long tidewater glacier.  It is 350 feet tall – 250 feet are above water and the other 100 feet are below water.  While many of the tidewater glaciers in Glacier Bay are receding, Margerie Glacier is described as stable.  The dark bands within Margerie Glacier are rocks and dirt – they are a glacier feature called moraines.

These are pictures of Margerie Glacier calving.  Calving occurs when ice breaks away from the glacier – it is usually accompanied by a loud sound similar to thunder.

These are some other pictures of glaciers I took while we were in Glacier Bay.  While we were in Glacier Bay National Park, there were park rangers on board who shared information about glaciers.  During our first trip to Alaska, it had been rainy when we were in Glacier Bay.  But the sheer beauty makes the weather a minor inconvenience.  Being around these massive, beautiful glaciers is almost like a religious experience.  It was an incredible day!