Wednesday, October 3, 2018

North to Alaska 2018 (10)

Click here for my Introductory Post

Hubbard Glacier

Thursday morning, September 6th
We are enroute to Disenchantment Bay to see Hubbard Glacier
The Chugach Mountains make a dramatic backdrop as we pass another cruise ship.
Since we left Kodiak yesterday afternoon, we have been heading across the Gulf of Alaska for Yakatuk Bay and on to Disenchantment Bay were we will see Hubbard Glacier.  For most cruisers this will be one of the highlights of the whole cruise. As we get close to Yakatuk Bay the Captain has said we will board a Pilot who is very familiar with these waters to help us navigate to the Glacier.

Our Pilot has arrived.

Hopping aboard here seems a bit tricky but
I guess Pilots are accustomed to this.
Hubbard Glacier flows into Disenchantment Bay. Here's what Wikipedia has to say ...

"Disenchantment Bay extends southwest for 16 km (10 mi) from the mouth of Russell Fiord to Point Latouche, at the head of Yakutat Bay in Alaska.

Named "Puerto del Desengano", Spanish for "bay of disenchantment", by Alessandro Malaspina in 1792, upon finding that the bay was not the entrance to the legendary Northwest Passage. He sailed up the bay as far as Haenke Island, before discovering the passage blocked by ice.

During the earthquake of September 10, 1899, parts of Disenchantment bay were raised 47 feet 4 inches (14 metres). This is the greatest recorded vertical displacement by an earthquake."

Up on the bow folks are getting excited and looking for that place
next to the rail to get a great picture.
I'm holding the camera overhead for this shot.
No, that is not my bald head! :-)

As we arrive at the Glacier the Captain calls for the ship's flag
to be raised at the bow.


View from Deck 6 looking out over the bow.

A panorama I put together from several shots.
The most amazing weather made this a memorable moment!

You may not see this view too often.
Haenke Glacier also flowed into Disenchantment Bay but it
has completely melted. Note the piles of debris it carried down from above.

Yet a third glacier flowing into the Bay here.
This is Turner Glacier.

Thought you might get a kick out of this photo.
This pic is great to show the scale of things.
At the red arrow is a small boat with 2 people aboard.
Not sure where the boat came from!
Next time:  Sitka

12 comments:

  1. Wow! You won me over with that first shot.

    And then those landscapes below. Wow!

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  2. Gorgeous!

    What gives the glacier its blue tint?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Sandi, Thanks for your comment. Great question, too, and I had to do some research. Here is what I discovered ... "Glacial ice is a different color from regular ice. It is so blue because the dense ice of the glacier absorbs every other color of the spectrum except blue - so blue is what we see!"

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  3. Hello, gorgeous views of the mountains, bay and the glacier. Lovely post and photos. Have a happy day!

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    Replies
    1. Hello Eileen! Thanks so much for following along on this journey and your kind comments! Have a happy day!

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  4. Awesome scenes.The huge size and the vastness of that whole area is breathtaking.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Ruth, Thanks, as always, for your kind comments. I've enjoyed having you along on this journey! Have a great day!

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  5. Wow! Those glacier shots are wonderful, and the weather could not have been any better. Sure glad there was that boat to show the actual size of that glacier! Thanks, John. :-)

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    Replies
    1. Hi DJan, Thanks so much for following along. I always look forward to your comments. Have a happy day!

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