After spending 3 nights and 2 days in Anchorage, it was time to leave
for our 7 day cruise down to Vancouver. We took the Alaskan Railroad
about 50 east miles to Whittier, the town were some the cruise ships depart.
It was still dreary out when we left Anchorage, but started to clear up
by the time we arrived in Whittier.
The first stop was Hubbard Glacier. About 250 miles ESE of Anchorage, it's 82 miles long and the terminus (the front part you see) is about 12 miles wide. Apparently, the glacier routinely calves icebergs about 150' tall. It did while we were there (photos below).
The next stop after Hubbard Glacier was Glacier Bay National Park. It is about 100 miles SE of Hubbard Glacier. Is it 5,035 square miles and has about 431,000 visitors (for comparison: The Great Smoky Mountains NP is only 815 square miles, but gets about 9.6 million visitors per year). The only way to get to Glacier Bay is by boat or plane. Only 2 cruise ships per day are allowed into Glacier Bay. The Park Service has a mobile visitor center that comes on board the cruise ships. They have the rangers give talks, answer questions and bring free handouts as well as books and other reading material to buy. It's an all day affair.
"Down by the station early in the morning..." as an oldie song starts out.
An eagle tries to keep up with the train.
A dreary day on the Gulf of Alaska.
This would be a beautiful ride on a sunny day.
I just thought this was a cool picture.
A waterfall in the distance.
A small glacier.
We arrive in Whittier.
Our cruise ship awaits.
Whittier from the cruise ship.
Another Alaskan Railroad train goes by just as we are leaving.
Hubbard Glacier.
Getting closer.
Looking back at Disenchantment Bay, which is where the glacier is located.
The darker part is about to calve.
Just after it falls into the Bay.
You can't really see them, but small 'tsunami' like waves are on the way. We were probably 1/2 mile away and could feel the waves slightly rock the ship. That had to be one big hunk of ice !!
A panorama in Glacier Bay.
And another...
Grand Pacific Glacier. We didn't realize at first this was a glacier - a very 'dirty' glacier.
Johns Hopkins Glacier (could find out why it was named after him).
A closer view.
Another view in Glacier Bay.
And another.
Caroline enjoying the view, but where is she ?
An eagle resting on an iceberg.
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