Glacier Bay National Park

Since the ferry terminal at Gustavus has severe limitations on RVs and there are no RV campgrounds, we booked rooms at the Glacier Bay Lodge, left the rigs in Juneau, took just the Jeeps over to Gustavus and drove over to the lodge.

 

Barbara and I had been to Glacier Bay once before 32 years ago aboard a small overnight excursion vessel.  On that earlier visit, we had unusually clear weather.  We expected to get the typically wet Southeast Alaska weather for this visit, but were delighted to get another couple of days of clear skies.

Panorama of Bartlett Cove by the Glacier Bay Lodge.

The land around the lodge is temperate rainforest with some nice hiking trails.

Mushroom highrise

The day after we arrived we had booked an all day Glacier Bay excursion on a concession run catamaran tour boat.

 

 

It wasn't long before our first wildlife was spotted.

 

 

And the scenery was fantastic

Was passed a favorite haul-out spot for sea lions

Common Murres

Watchful Bald Eagle

Nesting Kittiwakes

Immature Bald Eagle

Pigeon Guillemot

Tufted Puffins

Ongoing great scenery

After first spotting a group of mountain goats that was too far away for photography, the captain found a small group that was much closer.

"What did I get myself into?"

Grand Pacific Glacier at north end of Tarr Inlet in Glacier Bay

Our only killer whale sighting.

After spotting this brown bear (grizzly), the captain eased the boat up quietly enough that the bear pretty much ignored our presence.

A cruise ship visiting Margerie Glacier

Margerie Glacier

Splash from ice calving off Margerie Glacier

This kayak group from an excursion boat was exploring in the ice near Margerie Glacier.

Seals hauled out on an ice floe.

More scenery

This Humpback Whale must have been swimming on its back to have both pectoral flippers out of the water.

Some whale tail slapping action

We saw more Seat Otters on our way back.