Glacier Bay

National Park

Alaska

We cruised up Glacier Bay to the extreme northern and northwestern inlets- marked here with red Xs - Johns Hopkins Bay and Margerie Glacier..

Interesting observation: Since early surveying in 1860 the actual ice face has retreated 30 miles, away from the salt water, doubling the length of the bay. (The 1860 line being at the map's 'C' in the 'Glacier Bay' label.)

 

Ship's Log - Thursday August 28th:
0545: Vessel abeam Point Gustavus and entering Glacier Bay
0640: Vessel off Bartlett Cove. Three Park Rangers come aboard

John Hopkins Glacier
Note the glacial deposit in front of the glacier face: rocks, gravel and silt ground from the walls of the valley as the ice slowly moves to the sea.

 

The ice in this glacier is relatively new: Approximately 200 years old. With the glacial deposit building up at the shore line, it will "soon" not be a glacier ending in the ocean. The whole rhythm retreat and advance of glaciers is critical with regard to sea levels.

Ship's Log - Thursday August 28th:
0938: Vessel leaving Johns Hopkins Inlet

Watching the hundreds of birds nesting along side the glacier on the rocky face.

Deep in the fissures, the Blue Ice appears - caused by all colors except the blue being absorbed - the blue reflecting to be visible

Ship's Log - Thursday August 28th:
Noon Position: 58 deg. N, 137 deg. W
Temperature: 54.2 deg. F
Wind: SW - Force 2
Barometer: 1024.2 mb

The Glacier National Park service boat approaches to ferry the park rangers back to the park headquarters.

Ship's Log - Thursday August 28th:
1508: Vessel off Bartlett Cove - Three Park Rangers off