Glacier Bay
As the sun rose this morning, the Sea Lion entered Glacier Bay National Park. The 3.3 million acres that make up this park have gone through many changes since 1925 when a section of this territory was named a national monument. Its initial purpose was to preserve a glacial setting along with terrestrial and marine environments for public enjoyment, scientific study, and historic interest. Expanded several times, Glacier Bay was renamed a national park and preserve in 1980. In 1986 the park took on international status, being recognized as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. In 1992 it was listed as a World Heritage Site, incorporating the important human history that is associated with Glacier Bay.
The Tlingit who reside in the village of Hoonah in Port Frederick on Icy Strait have recognized the territory of Glacier Bay as their ancestral land since the first stories began their passage through the generations. Four Hoonah Tlingit clans occupied land in and around Glacier Bay. When this land was designated a national monument in 1925, the borders of the park encompassed much of the Hoonah Tlingit’s homeland. From these difficult beginnings both sides have worked towards healing old wounds. Open dialogues between the park service and the Hoonah Tlingit have continued and the boundaries between two very distinctive and different cultures have begun to open. As the traditional stories, art and even food gathering of the Hoonah Tlingit begin to reach within the boundaries of Glacier National Park, so, information begins to be shared between the National Park Service and the Tlingit clans of Hoonah, who were the first to call Glacier Bay their home.
Off the port bow of our ship, the Fairweather range rose from sea level to approximately 14,000 feet at Mount Fairweather. It is this range of mountains that experiences the first weather coming from the Pacific Ocean. Soft layers of mist appeared over the mountains this early morning as the Sea Lion headed for South Marble Island located in the southern area of Glacier Bay. This well-known bird colony provided looks at two species of puffins, cormorants, gulls, oystercatchers, pigeon guillemots, one peregrine falcon and several bald eagles. This small island is also a haul out area for Stellar’s sea lions. We heard the distant roar of these large northern animals as we approached the north tip of South Marble Island. Our officer staff eased our ship in for a closer look; we watched the antics of hierarchy as larger animals guarded territory, keeping younger animals in their place.
Slowly the Sea Lion pulled away from our first morning viewing and began her passage heading north into the heart of Glacier Bay. Our journey would take us 65 miles up bay, with stops at Sandy Cove searching for bears, Gloomy Knob watching for the agile movement of mountain goats, then past Tidal Inlet and Russel Island, heading for our afternoon destination at the head of Glacier Bay and two tidewater glaciers. Marjorie Glacier and Grand Pacific Glacier would provide phenomenal backdrop of raw new ground being carved by these two active glaciers. Both of these glaciers are receding, and as the Sea Lion approached the front of both glaciers, we could hear the grinding and breaking of moving ice…a sound the Hoonah Tlingit called “white thunder.” Two hundred and ten years ago George Vancouver reached the entry to Glacier Bay and encountered a wall of ice 20 miles wide and 4,000 feet thick. Less than one hundred years later John Muir made his first visit to Glacier Bay and the ice had already retreated 48 miles. In the cold wind coming off of the glaciers we watched, listened, and took in this journey that followed the retreat of a giant wall of ice.
As the sun rose this morning, the Sea Lion entered Glacier Bay National Park. The 3.3 million acres that make up this park have gone through many changes since 1925 when a section of this territory was named a national monument. Its initial purpose was to preserve a glacial setting along with terrestrial and marine environments for public enjoyment, scientific study, and historic interest. Expanded several times, Glacier Bay was renamed a national park and preserve in 1980. In 1986 the park took on international status, being recognized as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. In 1992 it was listed as a World Heritage Site, incorporating the important human history that is associated with Glacier Bay.
The Tlingit who reside in the village of Hoonah in Port Frederick on Icy Strait have recognized the territory of Glacier Bay as their ancestral land since the first stories began their passage through the generations. Four Hoonah Tlingit clans occupied land in and around Glacier Bay. When this land was designated a national monument in 1925, the borders of the park encompassed much of the Hoonah Tlingit’s homeland. From these difficult beginnings both sides have worked towards healing old wounds. Open dialogues between the park service and the Hoonah Tlingit have continued and the boundaries between two very distinctive and different cultures have begun to open. As the traditional stories, art and even food gathering of the Hoonah Tlingit begin to reach within the boundaries of Glacier National Park, so, information begins to be shared between the National Park Service and the Tlingit clans of Hoonah, who were the first to call Glacier Bay their home.
Off the port bow of our ship, the Fairweather range rose from sea level to approximately 14,000 feet at Mount Fairweather. It is this range of mountains that experiences the first weather coming from the Pacific Ocean. Soft layers of mist appeared over the mountains this early morning as the Sea Lion headed for South Marble Island located in the southern area of Glacier Bay. This well-known bird colony provided looks at two species of puffins, cormorants, gulls, oystercatchers, pigeon guillemots, one peregrine falcon and several bald eagles. This small island is also a haul out area for Stellar’s sea lions. We heard the distant roar of these large northern animals as we approached the north tip of South Marble Island. Our officer staff eased our ship in for a closer look; we watched the antics of hierarchy as larger animals guarded territory, keeping younger animals in their place.
Slowly the Sea Lion pulled away from our first morning viewing and began her passage heading north into the heart of Glacier Bay. Our journey would take us 65 miles up bay, with stops at Sandy Cove searching for bears, Gloomy Knob watching for the agile movement of mountain goats, then past Tidal Inlet and Russel Island, heading for our afternoon destination at the head of Glacier Bay and two tidewater glaciers. Marjorie Glacier and Grand Pacific Glacier would provide phenomenal backdrop of raw new ground being carved by these two active glaciers. Both of these glaciers are receding, and as the Sea Lion approached the front of both glaciers, we could hear the grinding and breaking of moving ice…a sound the Hoonah Tlingit called “white thunder.” Two hundred and ten years ago George Vancouver reached the entry to Glacier Bay and encountered a wall of ice 20 miles wide and 4,000 feet thick. Less than one hundred years later John Muir made his first visit to Glacier Bay and the ice had already retreated 48 miles. In the cold wind coming off of the glaciers we watched, listened, and took in this journey that followed the retreat of a giant wall of ice.
