** ALASKA - 2002**
** GLACIER BAY & Hubbard too!! **
This page prepared on 30 September 04
19 May 02 (Sunday)
I started my 'dressing' at 6am.. We are due to arrive at GLACIER BAY today! I went down to my Continental
Breakfast at 6.35am, and, accidentally, got into the Breakfast Buffet area's serving part! (It looked like the
'Continental' to me, although some staff-member said "we don't start until 7am!")
That is just ONE of the DIFFERENCES between American and English - and as I'd already got what I required
from 'Continental' on my tray, I took it away and ATE it!!
We'd already entered GLACIER BAY, so I went up to the OBSERVATION DECK's "Navigator's Lounge" and
did my first observations of this fantastic area, - before returning to my own CABIN for the BINOCULARS and
my 35mm camera.
I stayed there, observing and photo-ing, until lunchtime. This included my greatest time at the CALVING FACE of
the MARGERIE GLACIER. Most of the calvings were minor ones, but I was always hoping that one of the MAJOR
'overhangs' at the righthand end (from my viewpoint) would crash down. Nothing spectacular happened in the three-quarter
hour period that we were there!
Disappointed, we left to travel southwards, around the TLINGIT POINT and up the eastern arm of Glacier Bay. All the
current WATER area in the Bay was entirely covered by the GLACIER until 1780!! The recession contours are marked in
today's 'handout' entitled GLACIER BAY.
Our ship's diversion from the coast, into the Bay, was about 160 miles. For me, this was one of the major highlights
of the tour.
My lunch was taken at the HARBOUR GRILL's (Open Deck) BBQ - between the western and eastern arms of this
bay. Then I returned to my cabin for note-writing and the start of miscellaneous multi-deck walks. Later, I watched the
video "ORCA, KILLER WHALE or GENTLE GIANT?"
On returning to the PROMENADE DECK for a 'drinking chocolate' at 4pm, a tannoy announcement stated that TWO
"whale blows" had been seen, and that this is an area important for whale feeding. A further announcement said that, to
avoid frightening the whales, ALL our engines will be stopped, we won't move - and then we can all look-out!!
I walked to the STARBOARD side - and within a few moments - I was seeing them (without the need for binoculars or
camera!). Our boat drifted through 180 degrees - and then I went round to the PORT side - and got 'whale notices' from
our on-board experts. I could see them at 9o'clock (direction!), in addition to those at 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock, 3, 4 and 5 o'clock.
There were, indeed, many 'blows', flukes etc. Each 'fluke' display immediately preceeding a 'big dive' for a few minutes. Then I
was rewarded by the sights of a seal and a harbour porpoise (or was it a dolphin?) in the 9 o'clock direction.
After a few more 'whale blows' we drifted on the boat with about 360 degrees of rotation, until it was announced that we'd,
now, powered up the engines and getting back onto our schedule. It'll be HUBBARD tomorrow!!
I, later, saw parts 1 & 2 of "UNDERSTANDING VOLCANOES" before going out on deck to find where we had
got to. It turned out to be between the INIAN islands and some land adjacent to, and to the west of, DUNDAS BAY.
I then returned to my own cabin for some RELAXATION until dinner, which, as usual, was in the HAMILTON
DINING ROOM with its waiter service. I wasn't too happy with this environment or its presentation - being far happier
with the buffet-style restaurants/grills!!
After dinner, I attended half a set from BRIE KELLY who is OK with her JAZZ singing - but 'murders' any other
style!! With her piano playing, I noticed that she frequently hit the WRONG notes!
20 May 02 (Monday)
I got up later than normal and had my breakfast in the HARBOUR GRILL before going up higher in the ship
for higher views as we progressed up YAKORT BAY to the HUBBARD GLACIER. There was lots of
floating ice in the bay from HUBBARD'S CALVING. I spent most of my time with binoculars and a camera
in the NAVIGATION LOUNGE.
We appeared to be 'quarter to half a mile' away from where the Glacier was calving, but some info over the
TANNOY showed how difficult it is to make visual estimates. We were, in fact, 'two to 2.5 miles' away - such
is the radar usefulness in these situations! Even having been told the real distance, I found it very hard to
appreciate that distance! There, we stopped for a while, rotated, did photography - before going to the
OBSERVATION DECK for more photos and viewing.
Later, I took lunch (a VERY GOOD one in Buffet style!) and was joined by the 'unbearded ex-German'
(Gunther?) from our group. He now hails from Vancouver! We had pleasant chats before departing for our
respective maps, videos and lectures.
Later, before the HISTORY lecture (Russian influence on Alaska!) at 4.05pm, I collected my tea-time SNACKS
from the Harbour Grill before taking them into the Mid-Ocean Lounge to eat. I had some relaxation drinking the
coffee on the PROMENADE DECK (in the AFT area). I was just finishing when two people shouted "Whale,
starboard, 3 o'clock". That told us from where to look and in which direction!
These were the closest and best that I've ever seen them - 'in the wild'! Two of them were independently 'blowing' -
and both were active in a play-like fashion, before their FLUKES appeared and they went into a 'joint dive' to
the depths.
We were probably about 20 miles off the ALASKAN coast and heading West (at about 60degs N) in an ocean
which had been dead-calm for hours!!
Just before 6.30pm, I went to the lounge where JANY SMITH performed some olde-tyme-numbers with a good
presentation. Then, in the same place, a guy gave some info on VALDEZ - where I'll be going tomorrow!
(...... To be continued in the next chapter...)
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