This morning we woke up to blue skies peeking through the clouds as we made our approach to Johns Hopkins Glacier. The glassy ocean fog over the Fairweather mountain peaks made for a spectacular viewing experience. After enjoying some time in front of this glacier, we made our way farther north to visit Margerie Glacier. Along the way, we came across a beautiful brown bear eating plants and picking through the rocks of the intertidal shore. It was quite the scene with a bright green foliage background, light gray rocks, and aquamarine water in the foreground. This was the first of many brown bears we would encounter today...we saw six!
Upon arrival, we admired the icy columns and flowing layers of Margerie Glacier. It was the perfect backdrop for the large number of black-legged kittiwakes flying about or standing on bits of floating ice. We then began to sail south. Just after lunch, we were privileged to witness three killer whales transiting close to shore. Sea otters and arctic terns were also an enjoyable viewing experience.
We continued cruising through the afternoon and evening, eventually making our way to South Marble Island. As we glided past South Marble, we spotted Steller sea lions, a variety of species of seabirds (including puffins!), and sea otters. Humpback whales were also visible in the distance as we took in this beautiful scene that was so full of wildlife. It was truly a special day in Glacier Bay National Park, and we look forward to the final adventures that our journey in Southeast Alaska holds tomorrow.
