GROWING GLACIER

When we were in Alaska, we did a small-ship 'luxury-adventure' cruise; no towns, no shopping, no 'dressing-for-dinner'; just about 80 guests, 40 crew, lots of sea kayaking & shore hiking, and incredible gourmet meals.  We spent two whole days in Glacier Bay National Park with a Park Ranger on-board.  We visited coves, inlets, and glaciers the big cruise ships don't get to see.  At the top of Glacier Bay, very near the Canadian border, Johns Hopkins Glacier continues to advance when most glaciers are receding.  It is a huge glacier!  We were incredibly fortunate to be able to get right up to the face of the glacier (1/4 mile for safety reasons); boats are not allowed beyond where seals are calving but LUCKY US, the seals were clear up at the glacier!  This was the first time anyone on board, including the Ranger, had been this close to the face. And better luck still: the glacier was very active, calving continuously the couple hours we watched in awe before we had to pull away before it got dark -- very dangerous maneuvering through the icebergs.

This little (11" x 6.5" x 6") trapezoid-shaped watercolor on YUPO is my impression of the glacier.

And just for grins, here's my reference photo: