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

Cruising Hubbard Glacier

By the time we were close to Hubbard Glacier, the fog had returned for good, and settled around the mountain tops. Nsturalist Jules pointed out how seeing the glacier in the fog highlighted its blue color and added to its moody feeling. He was right...but easy for us to think so, since we've had three straight days of perfect glacier viewing weather.

What was different about our approach to Hubbard Glacier was the extensive number of icebergs and "berger bits". The ship cruised slowly up the valley, and we could hear the ice hitting the hull. Exciting!

We spent about 30 minutes in front of Hubbard Glacier, as Captain Binetti slowly turned the ship one direction, and then the other so there were good views from all sides. Unlike the prior days of glacier viewing, I enjoyed Hubbard Glacier from our balcony. Today's greyer weather discouraged me from bundling up and going to the very front of the ship. I knew I didn't have to go to the glacier...the glacier would come to me.

By 5:30pm naturalist Jules had finished his commentary and we were leaving Yakutat Bay. G and I decided at the last minute to dress semi-formally, as we did the first formal night last cruise, and went to dinner in the dining room followed by the Captain's welcome aboard cocktail party and the production show "Do You Wanna Dance". It was especially fun to see dancer (and line captain) Jessica after she had attended our get together this morning.

We returned to our cabin tonight to be greeted by a towel animal and a thank you note from our cabin steward Choochout. HE's thanking US?? He made sure today that we received our formal night chocolate covered strawberries in time to enjoy while we were viewing Hubbard Glacier. We're quite spoiled!

Tomorrow we're returning to Glacier Bay National Park, boarding the park rangers around 9am. Always something to look forward to!

Day 9: Cruising the Gulf of Alaska and Yakutat Bay

Once again, we fell asleep while it was still twilight. Once again we slept soundly all night along. We were exhausted from our busy day in Whittier.

First up for us this morning was breakfast in the dining room. Headwaiter Roberto seated us at a window-side table. Although it's always nice to dine with the sea rushing by just below the window, there was really nothing to see this morning. We were cruising south through the Gulf of Alaska, and due to the overcast skies, we couldn't see land even though we knew it was off the port side of the ship.

We had a Cruise Critic get together at 9am. I had sent out invitation letters again yesterday to several ship's officers, and G had specifically asked naturalist Jules and dance captain Jessica if they would attend. We were thrilled to have Captain Binetti, the Food and Beverage Manager, the Customer Service Manager, the Cruise Director and Jules and Jessica make an appearance. These people are so busy and it's always nice when they can take the time to attend even a short bit of our get togethers. Those passengers who just joined the ship yesterday are hoping for a repeat of last week's same weather for this cruise. I don't mean to be greedy, but so are we.

We then grazed the buffet a bit. Today's lunch special was a sushi and Asian food theme. By 1pm the sun was beginning to make an on-again off-again appearance...maybe we'd get lucky and be able to see Hubbard Glacier (scheduled from 5:30pm to 8pm) in the sun. Or not.

And speaking of stupid questions (we were, weren't we?), we heard another one this morning. A lady in the buffet was grumbling out loud about how we weren't seeing glaciers NOW, during the day. Why was that? Um...maybe because of where they are located? Princess might be experts in Alaska travel, but even they can't move mountains and glaciers to better position them for daytime viewing.

G went to the Veterans gathering on board at 2:30pm. Feeling a laziness brought on in part by the continuing grey skies, in part by the chilly air and in part by the simple fact that there was nothing I had to do, I lay down in the cabin for a short rest. Half dozing while watching on old movie on TV, at 3pm I was awakened by the sudden sound of very loud engines approaching the ship on its starboard side. Sure enough, the Southeast Alaska pilot was coming on board to direct the ship into Yakutat Bay and up to Hubbard Glacier.

Photo 1: fruit and vegetable carving demonstration this morning in the atrium

Photo 2: sushi display in the buffet at lunch

Photo 3: land ho, on the starboard side. Our first glimpse of the southern head of Yakutat Bay at 3pm

Photo 4: Southeast Alaska pilot coming on board as the Island Princess entered Yakutat Bay

Black legged Kittiwake rookery and another walk

Our last stop on the glacier cruise was within sight of the Island Princess, but it was the kind of thing I wouldn't notice unless it was pointed out to me. Thousand of kittiwakes come to here each year to lay their eggs on the warmth of the rock walls. We watched as the babies tried to fly...without much control they would swoop dangerously close to our boat, but within the next couple of weeks they will be able to fly south with their parents to a warmer climate.

While we were on the 5 hour tour, we met a couple from Pittsburgh who had stopped by a river just outside of town earlier in the day to watch salmon jumping upstream to lay their eggs. G was intrigued and wanted to see this for himself. Luckily they offered us a ride to the river after our cruise (luckily, because after our morning walk and 5 hours in the water, we were starting to drag a bit). They then left to get through the 6pm tunnel opening (going toward Anchorage, the tunnel opens on the hour) and we walked the two miles or so back to town.

It was still surprisingly warm; the air temp was probably only in the high 50s by then, but the sun was still strong and hot. We happened on one of the pedestrian tunnels that run through this funny little town...when you get 15 feet of rain and (last year) 44 feet of snow, have a railroad run right through the middle of town and all live in one building, pedestrian tunnels make quite a bit of sense.

We returned to the ship about 6:45pm. One final train bringing additional passengers arrived shortly afterwards, so, while things were quiet in the terminal, they were still prepared to check people in for the cruise. We didn't even change, but went straight to the dining room dressed as we were. Muster drill was at 8pm for those people required to go (those people boarding today), but dinner service continued for in transit passengers, which was nice. Right after muster, hoards of people came for dinner, but luckily we were just finishing up and returned to our cabin to watch sailaway from our balcony. By 9:30pm we were asleep. It had been a full turnaround day.

Photo 6: the tall building in the background is where everyone lives; the Princess cruise terminal is the hanger-shaped building in the foreground.

More glaciers from Prince William Sound

Photo 1: sea otters at play

Photo 2: Serpentine Glacier

Photo 3: Surprise Glacier up close

Photo 4; another kind of ice fishing

Photo 5: a Glacier Margarita