"I think I need to get out!"

Hi Everyone!

OK, we've had a bit of a taste of glaciers and going to Exit Glacier was a fantastic experience but it is a very well behaved glacier.  It isn't at all threatening and is easily accessible and it makes friends with thousands of people every week, I should imagine.  Although it's constantly changing and moving, it strikes me more as a somewhat dormant glacier.  However, there are some glaciers that are really active, not so accessible and very exciting to see - very active glaciers.  Such was my experience of our day out on Resurrection Bay.

We had been warned that it could be "a little bit rough" on our way around the peninsula from Resurrection Bay and, for those who are inclined to be a bit queasy, to take precautions.  However, it's really all in the mind and you can talk yourself out of it.  Sound advice from an ex Marine.  So having given myself a good talking to as well as taking travel sickness prevention medication AND wearing the ever trusty acupoint bands (hopefully in the right place and which I checked at least ten times), I set out absolutely certain I was going to be fine.   I hadn't come all this way to be a squib and I was not going to miss this experience.

Don't forget to click on the photo.

The trip out of Seward harbour was lovely.  We saw otters which I adore.  How nice.  And those cute little critters weren't the least concerned to have our boat close by.  They continued either sleeping or eating for our entertainment.  Well, if they can do it so can I.  It's not at all rough and I'm fine.  Medication plus bands plus positive thoughts equals a good day.  Right, bring it on.

Further down the Resurrection Bay towards the Gulf of Alaska, the cliff faces were magnificent, typically wild and rough and full of rookeries of migratory birds.  So beautiful.

What was that about wild and rough?  Think positive!  Think positive!

Oops, what's happening here?  I wish I was a Marine!

I managed to stay relatively in control for quite some time by concentrating very hard on the conversation and not opening my mouth.  Then someone asked me about the health system in Australia (of all things!) and I lost it.  Not wanting to panic anyone, I quietly and calmly said, "I think I need to get out" and everyone shot out of their seats like a canon.  Even in my state of extreme queasiness, I had to laugh.  No longer Elderhostel trippers.  Now as fast as Olympic sprinters.  Fresh air certainly helped but it seemed like an eternity that I was hanging on tightly and slowly losing all feeling in my extremities.  Finaaly we were in the calmer waters of Aialik Bay and left the Gulf of Alaska behind (for now).  And so on to Aialik Glacier.

A bit green around the gills.

I have experienced nothing like this.  I think we were about 200 yards from the face of the glacier and it sounded like a tropical thunderstorm as it cracked and groaned and calved.  When pieces fall off the glacier, they call it calving.   If my memory serves me correctly, and that's not often, I think Aialik Glacier is about a mile across at it's face and three or four miles up to the Harding Icefields that feed a number of other glaciers in the area.  Photos do not do justice to the immensity of it.  Between the noise of the glacier and the noise and the strength of the winds, it was one majestic exhibition of the power of nature.  We stayed long enough to watch one crack develop and slowly work its way down through the ice and then calf off into the water.  It was a relatively small piece but very noisy and impressive just the same.

I wouldn't like anyone to think it was a horrible day because it was spectacular.  The fierce rugged beauty of the landscape, the experience of watching a huge glacier calf, the multitude of wild life we saw all made it a most memorable day.  In my heart of hearts, I thought I would probably get sick but I wasn't going to miss it for the world and I'm glad I didn't.

We saw puffins and sea lions and Dall sheep and mountain goats and a couple of bald eagles and a falcon and porpoises swimming beside our boat as well as otters and a number of humpback whales and a black bear.  What a day!  One I will always remember.

No more glaciers on the itinerary. That's sad.  But it's not all over yet.........

Woody's cousins in the front yard.

Spot the bald eagle.  It's not flying.