Eastern Prince William Sound At Its Best

With memories fresh and colorful, I can recall in vivid colors and smells the experiences of our trip and the impression I had of the Alaskan coast,truly, all of it enjoyable. The long-day, day-long, 10 hour cruise on eastern Prince William Sound was magic. It was a near perfect day in all regards, sunny and cool. We were headed to see the Columbia Glacier, South central Alaska's largest tidewater glacier and the Meares Glacier, an advancing and very actively calving glacier. The first glacier we saw from a distance of at least twenty miles due to the amount of ice bergs it is producing. A natural cycle was occurring which happens about every 150 when what is known as a catastrophic melt takes place, the interplay between ice, land and ocean. The locals do not point to the glacier as proof of global warming - look elsewhere. The Meares Glacier was worth the whole day's trip. Our "large boat" approached this tidal glacier within about a 1/4 mile and we sat listen to its groans, cracks and saw some ice cascading off the glacier into its bay. Standing on the deck of the boat and witnessing this wondrous site defies words. The ice, hundreds of feet high was twisted and distressed due to the uneven ice movement of the glacier wall behind. Much of the front of this glacier was white with hues of blue and grey, but some spots were a more rich vibrant blue, an indication of tremendous pressure it bore earlier in it journey down the mountain and valley. Take a look at it yourself and experience the moments, the sights and the sounds of the glacier.