The Hubbard Glacier

Day 20
Saturday 19 September

We awoke to the soft hum of the ship’s engines and the gentle sway and rock as we powered through the Alaskan Gulf toward the Hubbard Glacier. It was difficult to get out of bed as it is the most comfortable bed I have slept in since leaving home. We are both tired and not from doing too much but more likely from all the long distance travel catching up with us.

Anyway following a light breakfast we attended a session by the tour coordinators regarding the Shore Excursions. We had already chosen the ones we were interested in so we were only there in the hope that we could win a dinner at the plush restaurant here on the ship. You have to dress formally to be able to go to it so that cuts us out as we sacrificed formal wear for warm clothes. Alas we didn’t win, but we did alter our booking for Juneau so that we can do 2 different ones that day. Now we are all set for the rest of the week.

We stupidly followed this up with another talk about the shopping available in each port of call. It is truly astounding how many people seem obsessed with parting with their dollars when travelling. We listened to a lady rattle on for almost an hour about the fantastic jewelry you can purchase in this or that shop. She hardly drew breath the whole time. It was an exercise in ‘people watching’ and quite fascinating.

Needless to say the VAST majority of people aboard are well into their twilight years. I thought for a while that I should visit the Day Spa and have my hair dyed grey so as to fit in with the little ladies. However, Richard didn’t think I needed to do this as I was already starting to go grey. How rude!

We were on a mission today to reach the Hubbard Glacier. The one I mentioned earlier wasn’t the Hubbard. The sea has been relatively calm and the rock and roll of the ship is quite gentle.

We had to pick up a ship pilot and some Park Rangers about an hour before we reached the glacier. The closer we got to it the colder it got. Really cold! Interesting fact:The glaciers create their own climate/weather particularly these big ones. I had to come back to the cabin and put on almost my entire ‘cold weather’ wardrobe.
The glacier is massive. It is still growing and is expected to close the fiord in years to come. It already goes from one side of the fiord to the other and back into Canada about 70 miles. Across the face it measures about 1.5 miles (not KLMS) and it is about 300 feet high – above the water line and about the same below. The ship was parked about ¼ mile from the face. As with all the glaciers, when the engines are off, you can hear it moving. It grinds and pops and cracks like a cannon going off. Usually, shortly thereafter it will calve somewhere along the face. When they hit the water there is an enormous splash and accompanying loud noise. The wave from the broken ice hitting the water caused a corresponding wave sometimes strong enough to rock the ship. They are powerful events. We saw several calvings and managed to get a photo or two (or in Rick’s case 250 or so). These glaciers carry thousands of years of dirt, stones rocks and boulders along with them so they range in colour from a bright blue to black.

Once we were suitably frozen and had dozens of photos, we hastened inside for a warming cuppa and icecream. We spent the remainder of the late afternoon relaxing in the library and writing to you all. Richard is reading a book from the library – Alan Alda’s autobiography – called “Never Have Your Dog Stuffed and Other Things I Have Learned”. Sounds like something you’d expect from Hawkeye Pierce doesn’t it? Every so often I hear a little chuckle so I guess he is enjoying it.

We also spent some time with the computer lady in what they call “Techspert”. Yesterday we learned to stitch 4-6 photos together to create a panorama so we used the photos we took today to practice on. This has been fun and is easy to do. Even Richard is trying it out. He really needs to learn to listen though! You all know what he is like – nothing has changed.

Tonight was “formal” night for dinner and everyone had to be formally dressed to go to dinner in the restaurants. We had to skip that as we elected not to bring formal wear (as I have mentioned before) so we are getting some room service tonight. We’ll be formal in our PJs.

Tomorrow we land in Sitka – the old Russian capital of the area in the 1700s. We’ll be going on the Fortress of the Bears and Sea Otter Quest. We are hoping the weather holds up as it has been absolutely brilliant so far. Cross fingers.