We anchored in front of Reid Glacier for 2 days. We had gone ashore at the end of the bay for a walk in the morning until the bear tracks looked too big and too fresh. That afternoon we beached the dinghy and climbed over the boulders to get to the base of the glacier at the head of the bay. The enormity of the glacier was amazing, as were the colors in the parts that were actively calving. Rob was taking pictures and I was scanning the glacier with the binoculars. We were on the north side of the glacier. I panned the binocs to the south side and suddenly the lenses were filled with two grizzlies – mom and cub. Ohmygosh (not what I really said)! The dinghy was a half hour scramble over the boulders, and the bears were moving in the opposite direction away from us. But I could not convince myself I didn’t need to be off that beach immediately. Rob continued to snap pictures of the glacier as I hauled butt for the dinghy.
Of course the entire event turned into an incredible photo op for my husband. We motored over to tell Tim & Cindy and we all headed to the beach. Mom and child were not bothered a bit by Rob & Cindy’s cameras, and we got far closer to a grizzly than I ever want to be again.
That was only one of the many animal sightings we enjoyed in Glacier Bay. We were totally blessed with spectacular sunny weather the whole week. The sounds the glaciers make is incredible when they calve off and fall into the sea – truly an amazing sight.
We were at our furthest point north before turning south to head to Mexico. It was Margerie Glacier at the head of Tarr Inlet. After the cruise ship left it was just us and Masquerade to enjoy the glacier. We rafted up and had a champagne toast from the bottle my sister had given us, celebrating the fact we had made it to Glacier Bay and that we were now heading south!
The highest animal count for a single day included 3 grizzlies, an eagle on an iceberg, a humpback whale, 9 mountain goats, a sea otter and 16,000 mosquitoes. Truly better than any trip we could have imagined.
Now we’re headed for Sitka, where we’ll stay awhile. We’ve got to get Yohelah ready for an offshore passage, and there are some unfinished jobs from Port Townsend that can’t be put off any longer.
Our trip to Glacier Bay was so incredible. Today on Yohelah we’re heading south………
