Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay, Alaska
Hello from sunny and 77° F California! It's almost December and it's hot enough to go swimming out here. It's Thanksgiving today and we've got the oven on to cook a 27 lb turkey in a house with no air conditioning. Since it doesn't appear I'll have cold any time soon, I'm sharing these photos of Alaskan waters and glaciers from my trip this past June. Yes, yes, definitely long delayed! However, I'm sitting here in a tank top and shorts, so I'd really rather reminiscence about colder places.
We took a boat (the Baranof Wind) through Glacier Bay and went right up to the border of the Canada, where the Grand Pacific Glacier is situated. As global warming is a thing and climate change is real, we were greeted by bare earth with a completely melted glacier. The waters by the glaciers were dotted with small icebergs from the calving glaciers, which is when ice cracks and falls off. In fact, Margerie Glacier (shown above) was actively calving! A crew member fished an iceberg out from the bay for us to touch. It was very smooth, very cold, and definitely smaller than the one that took out the Titanic.
We took a boat (the Baranof Wind) through Glacier Bay and went right up to the border of the Canada, where the Grand Pacific Glacier is situated. As global warming is a thing and climate change is real, we were greeted by bare earth with a completely melted glacier. The waters by the glaciers were dotted with small icebergs from the calving glaciers, which is when ice cracks and falls off. In fact, Margerie Glacier (shown above) was actively calving! A crew member fished an iceberg out from the bay for us to touch. It was very smooth, very cold, and definitely smaller than the one that took out the Titanic.

Grand Pacific Glacier

On board the Baranof Wind.


South Marble Island, a wildife hotspot (top). Sea lions lounge on the rocks (bottom).
We passed South Marble Island during our boat ride. The island is considered a wild life hotspot. There were sea otters, sea lions, puffins, and gulls. There was also a humpback whale swimming in the waters. Occasionally, he would surface to spout and dive back under, flipping his tale above the water. Look at the beautiful color of the sea lion coats! They were certainly more vibrant than our California sea lions.

Islands recovering after glacial retreat are covered in moss, lichen, and young trees.

Glacier Bay
We passed islands that were covered with moss, lichen, and young trees. The growth of lichen helps prepare the earth for the forest to grow as the land eventually recovers after glacial retreat. As we traveled North towards the glacier heavy, thick trees gave way to more moss. Eventually, we saw more rock than green. When we finally reached the Canadian/Alaskan boarder, the waters were smooth like glass, with small ripples on the surface. The air was cold, crisp, and clean. Heaven is a place on Earth and it was these calm, beautiful waters.
SO FRIGGIN STUNNING! Absolutely unreal there. What was the temperature like on your visit?
ReplyDeletenat // dignifiable
Ohhh wow, the scenery here looks unreal!! It really does look heaven on Earth, so calm and serene. It must have been even more impressive to see in person, too :)
ReplyDeleteThese photographs are absolutely stunning, what a beautiful place! I've been dying to go on a wintery holiday and this post has just cemented that in my mind.
ReplyDeleteJess
alrightblondie.com
beautifull...! awesome & amazing realy...!photographs are realy supper amazing...
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Your weather situation sounds unfortunate, but these photos are stunning. You've made me want to roam around Alaska all over again. This boat ride reads like an actual dream.
ReplyDeleteamberelb.com
Why are we going through a heatwave in SoCal right now??? Een though you had to go through the heat to cool that 27lb turkey, at least you still got to enjoy feasting on it :).
ReplyDeleteAlaska looks beautiful! You're making me consider going to Alaska for a trip someday! I love how the sea lions are just chilling on the South Marble Island. I LOVE the views you had! I didn't know there is greenery in Alaska but you educated me ;)!
exquisitely.me
I'm not a fan of cold or winter but your photographs captured the beauty of cold and sea! Love this blog and better late than never ;) I myself am planning to publish a post soon that I wrote back in summer, haha :) x
ReplyDelete- Leta | The Nerdy Me
These photos are so beautiful! That is like, my ideal scenery - water, mountains, snow.
ReplyDeleteWowwwwww! I had no idea Alaska was this beautiful! These photos are absolutely stunning! You must have had a blast drinking in the scenery and taking photos :D What an awesome experience Alyse!
ReplyDeleteThis place is so stunning, Alyse!!! I'm really jealous you got to experience this beauty *tears in my eyes*
ReplyDeleteAnd for real though.. this heat in California is too much. I want my fall weather!
It's quite funny to read that you're inshorts because it is FREEZING here! Weather aside, these pictures are just so gorgeous. Alaska is on my wishlist, I'd love to visit one year - it just looks sooo incredibly beautiful. x
ReplyDeleteWow that's beautiful! And yes global warming is real and it's unfortunate that the glaciers are melting :(
ReplyDeleteThese photos are absolutely stunning! I would love to visit a place like this. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I'll be able to get there any time soon and with global warming destroying the beautiful, chilly places in the world...well, I'm sad to admit maybe I won't get to see this the way I want to. I can't believe it's almost 80ºF in December...Ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteHappy belated Thanksgiving, Alyse! These photos are great - it reminds me of my visit to Canada just a couple of weeks ago now (!) along the coast :) real grim about global warming though, every time I see a photo of melted glaciers it's a rude awakening that we need to do more... Can't believe it's so warm still for you!
ReplyDeleteHope all is well, haven't spoken to you in a bit heh.
Cherie ✿ decliately.xyz
This place looks so magical and beautiful and cold, but definitely beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIt can anger me so much that people are stating global warming isn't as bad as we thought, or even worse that it's not real. :-/
Omg what a surreal and beautiful place! It sucks that all the glaciers are melting - I hate global warming! Those sea lions are TOO cute.
ReplyDeleteOOOO HELLOOOO CAN YOU PACK ME INSIDE YOUR BAG I PROMISE I'LL BE NICE T^T ugh i know these photos are from the late trip but maaaannn. the first photo took my breath away /saves. i can only imagine how crisp and fresh the air was. heaven is right there.
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