August 2, 2019
Hi Blog!
We really enjoyed our stay in Valdez. There was so much to do that we wished we had more time. One thing that was on our bucket list was the cruise to the Columbia Icefield aboard the Lulu Bell. We set sail early Friday morning with our sights set on the Columbia Icefield.
Along the way, we stopped to admire some pretty amazing waterfalls.
As the salmon make their way to the spawning ground, the fishing boats deploy a purse net using a small skiff. The skiff takes out the net, circles around the back of the main boat and brings the net back to the main. The net is then closed creating a purse full of salmon. Once a boat has a load of salmon, it off loads it to a holding boat which takes the salmon to a processing plant. Commercial boats cannot start catching salmon until enough fish have passed by to the spawning ground.
It didn't take long to leave the fishing boats in the Valdez Arm and head out into Prince William Sound. The Sound is part of the Gulf of Alaska, but is protected from the Gulf by a series of barrier islands. Before heading over to the glaciers, we stopped to check in on some wildlife.
First up, were the sea lions. To get the full effect, please click on this video of the seals barking on the beach.
After spending some time with the sea lions, we went in search of whales. It didn't take long before we saw this humpback whale poke its nose up as it fed on a bait ball.
After a quick snack, it turned tail and dove.
We waited patiently to see if the whale would surface again. Our reward was an amazing aerial display.
As the whale lands, it stuns the fish allowing it to circle back and feed.
We were treated with several feeding displays, as well as two more breaches. However, the glaciers were calling and we had to leave our new whale friend behind.
As we entered the Columbia Bay, we came upon a sea otter nursery. The moms like to gather on ice flows to give birth. It keeps them safe from the sea lions, seals and killer whales.
As our boat approached, the sea otters took to the sea for protections.
As we made our way up the Columbia Bay, it didn't take long before we were surrounded by large icebergs.
As the icebergs drift by, one can't help thinking about the Titanic.
The Columbia Glacier is one of the fastest moving glaciers in the world, and has been retreating since the early 1980s. It was named after Columbia University, one of several glaciers in the area named for elite U.S. colleges. It is over 32 miles long.
The retreat of the Columbia Glacier contributes to global sea-level rise, mostly through iceberg calving. This one glacier accounts for nearly half of the ice loss in the Chugach Mountains.
Below, Dave bravely takes his post at the prow of the boat in search of hidden dangers. He looks rather bundled up as the temperatures plunged down into the 30s.
The Columbia Glacier is so wide, we couldn't capture it in a single photo. Mind you, these photos were taken one mile from the base of the glacier.
Here is the left view.
Middle view.
Right view.
The icebergs were just too thick to permit our boat to go much further. There were so many interesting shapes. We ended up with over 179 photos. Here's one of our favorites:
One last look at the west arm of the Columbia Glacier.
Tomorrow, we head back up the Richardson Highway to Paxson Lake. Stay tuned for the continuing adventures of Buster and Dusty. Hi-Ho!
Great pics of the bergs and whales.
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