Had he been interested, Captain George Vancouver, who charted the waters of Icy Strait in 1794, could have seen all of Glacier Bay in about an hour. In those days, however, the 5-mile-long indentation in the 100-mile (160-km) long, 20-mile (32-km) wide, and 4,450-ft (1,350-m) thick Grand Pacific Glacier was considerably less intriguing than it became over the next two centuries. By the time John Muir reached the site in 1879, that indent had grown to about 31 miles (50 km) long and today, due to further melting, Glacier Bay now stretches about 72 miles (115 km).
The dynamic ecosystems created by such a dramatic two-century meltdown demonstrate the natural cycles working to recolonize landscapes recently released from the grip of an icy blanket. As a result, a trip up Glacier Bay today becomes a journey back to the last Ice Age. At Bartlett Cove, near the entrance, mature spruce and hemlock trees shelter a layer of rich, decomposed vegetation. Cruising up the bay, however, the pioneer plant communities grow younger and sparser and the rock becomes more prominent until the boat approaches the face of the Grand Pacific Glacier, land-bound behind a field of barren glacial moraine.
These ever-emerging landscapes also create a changing wilderness tableau, and on an optimum day, cruise passengers will see the spouting and splashing of breaching whales, hear the cries of sea birds, watch comical sea otters play and bald eagles wheel overhead, and perhaps even a brown bear methodically plodding along the shore. But, when the boat pulls up to Margerie Glacier, the real thrills begin as a massive block of ice dislodges from the glacier face and slides silently into the sea. A second or two later, comes the thunderous crack of the breaking ice, followed after a few more seconds by a line-up of swells that cause the boat to bob up and down like a cork. It’s probably safe to say that a lesson on wave physics has never been more captivating.
Glacier Bay is famed for its interest to environmentalists as a glimpse of post-Ice Age development. But, for the visitor, little can compare to seeing a house-sized block of ice crashing into the water or huge humpback whales seemingly defy gravity as they break the surface of the water. August is a great time to visit the Bay because the days are long and cool.
