Foggy glaciers- freezing temps

Photo 1: Lamplugh Glacier. That's not dirt- it's lateral and medial moraine!

Photo 2: the Grand Pacific Glacier is up there somewhere

Photo 3: to give you some idea of the scope of the scenery in Glacier Bay, that black dot on this iceberg is a Stellar sea lion weighing 2000 pounds and measuring 10 feet long!

Photo 4: fog or not, the Margerie Glacier with its 250 foot high face never fails to impress

Photo 5: it even looks cold, doesn't it?

Day 10: Cruising Glacier Bay National Park

How much difference can four days make? In the case of weather in Glacier Bay, a lot. The park today (Friday) was almost unrecognizable from what we had seen on Monday. How lucky we've been first to see it in all its glory, reflected perfectly in the water of the bay, and then today in its foggy moodiness.

We were awake early again and drinking the first of many coffees of the day when the dining room opened at 7:30am. It was a grey and cold morning, which was an omen for what we'd see (or not see) when we entered Glacier Bay.

By 9am, three Glacier Bay National Park rangers had boarded the Island Princess at the park's headquarters, Bartlett Cove, and we began our ascent up Glacier Bay. At 10am, one of the park rangers gave an overview of the history of Glacier Bay in the Princess Theater; it was simulcast on channel 45 of our cabin TV. It was wonderful to sit, alternately, on our balcony and in our cabin watching her presentation while enjoying the passing scenery.

We had quite a discovery yesterday...while we spent last cruise bundled up in pool towels while on our balcony, we learned that tartan blankets are available for check out for the duration of the cruise from a desk on Deck 14 between the two pools. As it turned out, we've really needed them these past two days.

At 11:30am, the Taste of Alaska buffet was served on the open Lido Deck, something else we missed last cruise in our zeal to see the glaciers from every possible vantage point. Today we took platefuls of seafood and bowls of chowder back to our cabin, and spent our time in Glacier Bay trying to stay warm by going from cabin to balcony and back again.

Nice as it was, it wasn't like Monday. Each day we've been in Alaska we've been told, time and again, how lucky we were to have what was truly the best weather of the entire summer on our first cruise. Our weather the past couple of days has been much more typical, and I think our postcard-quality photos may be a thing of the past.

In a reverse of the order of our last visit, we stopped first in front of the Lamplugh Glacier. This is the glacier in the Johns Hopkins Inlet that we saw in partial cloudiness on Monday; it was no brighter today.

As we slowly made our way into Tarr Inlet we were thrilled by the wildlife we saw: a humpback whale first spotted by its water spout gave us a final flick of its tail before it disappeared totally from view; thousands of kittiwakes (grounded by the fog?) huddled on the icebergs and berger bits; and, finally, a Stellar sea lion in all its glory, held court over a large piece of ice, twisting its head around to keep an eye on the ship.

The Grand Pacific Glacier that carved all of Glacier Bay was reduced today to a black mass of terminal moraine (see what I've learned!). The mountains peaks behind it and the glacier itself were totally obscured by the fog. Luckily, we were still able to get a good, extended look at Margerie Glacier, with some significant groaning and calving. Actually, the glacier did appear bluer under grey skies than in full sun, and the crevasses were much more evident than they had been earlier in the week.

But now, as we're making our way back down Tarr Inlet, with the rock walls carved by the Grand Pacific glacier just feet from our balcony, I am huddled in our cabin trying to warm up. G headed for a hot tub while the Margerie Glacier was still fading from view.

Cold. I am SO cold. While we were up on the Lido Deck to get our Taste of Alaska lunch, it was raining that thick rain that stops just short of being snow. Once again, I am so happy that we are not only in a balcony cabin, but a balcony cabin that is so well covered by the overhang of the Lido Deck above. We have yet to have any moisture at all on our balcony or its furniture...again today we saw people down on Caribe and Dolphin decks drying off their chairs with pool towels. A larger balcony is worthless if it's wet.

Anyway, promotion of Aloha Deck cabins aside, today is one of the three coldest days I've ever experienced on a cruise (Hobart, Tasmania and Punta Arenas, Chile being the other two). I must be drinking ten cups of coffee (G makes certain they're all decaf) every day trying to stay warm. I'd love to be sitting in a hot tub but can't bear the thought of getting out of it. Instead, I'm curled up under the duvet trying to get warm.

I promise I won't complain about 100 degree heat ever again. This summer. In August. We are unrecognizable from the couple who used to ski when the temperature at the base of the mountain was below zero. Two winters in the Caribbean have thinned our blood and made us wimpy!

Photo 1: entering Glacier Bay National Park

Photos 2-5: the Taste of Alaska buffet and our view for our Glacier Bay cruise

The Lamplugh Glacier

Photo 1: the clouds moving in around the mountain peak

Photo 2: Lamplugh Glacier in the shadows

Photo 3: the Sapphire Princess making her way up Tarr Inlet

Photo 4; lunch with a view

The Grand Pacific and Margerie Glaciers

Photo 1: the Grand Pacific Glacier (doesn't reach the water but is about 50 miles long and a mile and a half wide)

Photo 2: the Grand Pacific Glacier in the distance with the Margerie Glacier on the left

Photos 3 and 4: the Margerie Glacier, 250 feet high above the water, 100 feet below the water; a mile wide)

Photo 5: our room with a view

Cruising up Tarr Inlet

After breakfast, the Island Princess started up the Tarr Inlet toward the Grand Pacific Glacier and the Margerie Glacier. Yes, I knew that Captain Binetti would turn the ship 360 degrees in front of each glacier allowing views for everyone, but I wanted the full effect of cruising up the Tarr Inlet as it closed in around us. I went back to our cabin and put on all the layers I'd brought- fleece vest under fleece pullover under Goretex jacket with hood, ear covers, wool head band and gloves- and I was still freezing standing on the open deck at the front of Caribe Deck. My endurance paid off; we saw a brown bear walking along the waterfront, a bald eagle perched on an iceberg and a puffin just in front of the ship. The sun was shining brightly, the sky was blue and we could see the tops of all the tall peaks surrounding us. We continued to cruise toward the Grand Pacific Glacier, the huge glacier not currently reaching the water at the very end of the inlet.

We stopped facing Margerie Glacier for about an hour as the ship slowly rotated. We saw the glacier calve several times as I stood on the front of the ship; eventually, I made my way back to our cabin for what I knew would be a perfect view from our balcony.

G was waiting for me with a single long stemmed rose he had just purchased. So sweet! And the view through our balcony door was nothing short of perfect. Together we sat on our deck as the glacier calved time and again. We'd first hear the crack, then see the shower of ice as it fell down the face of the glacier, and then hear the loud, echoing splash as it hit the water.

Even protected on our balcony, we were well bundled. It was bright and sunny, but oh so cold. The Island Princess then cruised back down the Tarr Inlet to the John Hopkins Inlet and the Lamplugh Glacier. By the time we'd reached it, about 11:45am, we could see clouds settling in around the very highest mountain tops. We did another 360 degree turn (I viewed this one from our balcony as I was chilled through) and then went to lunch in the dining room where dear headwaiter Roberto had us seated at a table for four set for two so we could both look out the windows at the expansive views as we began the 55-mile cruise south out of the park. About that time, we saw the Sapphire Princess making her way up the inlet. Only two cruise ships per day are allowed in Glacier Bay National park, and they are generally Princess or Holland America ships. I can strongly recommend Princess for this cruise; they have it all down to a science.

It took hot soup, pasta and three cups of coffee to finally warm me up. In lieu of the lectures taking place this afternoon, we've chosen to return to our cabin for a bit of a rest before wine tasting at 3pm. Around 2:30pm we'll be entering the area of a high level of humpback whales, and so we'll want to be on our balcony once again for that.

Day 6: Glacier Bay National Park

All along, my fervent hope was that we had not used up our weather luck in Ketchikan, Juneau or Skagway because, let's face it, the real draw of this itinerary is the day spent cruising in Glacier Bay National Park. I kept checking the weather in Skagway and the weather in Whittier...when they both looked good, I began to get hopeful that we would have a good weather day in Glacier Bay, which lies somewhere in between.

Have we ever.

We were awakened by the sun coming in our cabin around 5:30am. Once again, we were on the "right" side for sunrise, but when we opened the sliding glass door to step out onto our balcony, the cold air took our breath away.

Was it only yesterday that we had worked up a sweat climbing to Dewey Lake near Skagway? Hard to believe...

Unlike two mornings ago approaching Juneau at sunrise, today I was NOT alone. Already we could see other people positioning themselves on their balconies in preparation for the day ahead. We all ooohed and aaahhhed as we saw several humpback whales around Bartlett Cove on the south end of the park.

After we showered, it was still well before 7am, and neither the dining room or Patisserie was yet open. We opted instead for the Horizon Court buffet for breakfast (the egg beaters veggie omelet is really delish, and the fresh pineapple as sweet as candy). We were lucky: on board naturalist Jules joined us at breakfast, and was gracious enough to answer our questions and show us on his map exactly where we'd be going.

Glacier Bay National Park had sent aboard three rangers as the Island Princess passed the park headquarters at Bartlett Cove, and Ranger Randy had begun narrating even as we were eating breakfast. Ranger Carolyn had set up a "visitors center" in the central area of the buffet, with maps and brochures, posters and souvenirs available. They had several activities scheduled throughout the day until they would disembark at Bartlett Cove as the Island Princess left the park about 3:15pm.