For those visiting Hubbard Glacier this season

[Lakecpa]

Just returned from the Mercury 6-18 sailing. Hubbard was awsome. Cruise director said he'd not been closer in his 6 years. Captain estimated less than 300 yards. He was taking pictures.

[Diva Onboard]

Thanks everyone for the continued updates. I hope the situation holds so that we can get in as close and linger awhile in the majestic beauty that you all have described. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

 

And, keep the reports coming.

[Diva Onboard]

Still looking for updated comments. Anyone just returned from Hubbard? How close did you get?

[JPCruising]

I was on the Celebrity Summit 6/10 and took a lot of pictures of Hubbard. You can see them in my Alaska album at www.jprphotos.com Just go to the Hubbard chapter.

 

JPR

[tetons]

Your photos are outstanding! What kind of digital camera did you use? I have not been lucky enough to see Mt. McKinley in person and you made feel as though I was there. Hopefully on one of my Alaska trips Mt. McKinley will be visible. Hubbard Glacier looks so much more blue than Glacier Bay. Did your naturalist give a reason? Is it because it is calving more and the deeper layers of the glacier are being revealed that have been compressed for so many years? I just hope that I still get to see Hubbard on late August-early Sept. cruise.

[Diva Onboard]

Awesome pictures! Thanks for posting them. We really are so excited about going - can't wait to experience it all.

[JPCruising]

I was using a Canon Digital Rebel SLR camera with a Canon 75-300mm IS zoom lens. I had a great trip with excellent weather especially in Denali. I did a flight seeing trip with glacier landing with Talkeetna Air Taxi that allowed me to get some great pictures. At Hubbard there was a lot of calving happening while we were there.

[LoneStar72]

Awesome pictures! Thanks for posting them. We really are so excited about going - can't wait to experience it all.

You can get a REAL good preview by checking out one of the ships' bridge webcams. For example, Celebrity Summit is approaching Hubble right now. Go to http://www.celebrityatsea.com and select Summit's bridge webcam (refreshes once per minute.) For other ships' webcams, and portcams, see http://www.kroooz-cams.com/.

 

John

[Orion1325]

Just back from the Radiance's July 10th sailing (with a post-cruise stay in Vancouver). This was Captain Kent's last trip (literally) to Alaska as the Captain of the Radiance. (He got off the ship on the 17th and went home to Portugal for his vacation. He's retiring in May, 2005.)

 

We were 1/2 mile away from Hubbard Glacier with beautiful blue skies. We were able to see lots of calving from our deck position at the rear of the ship (just outside the Windjammer). We made several "turns" of the ship so that all were able to view the glacier.

 

Just as we made our last revolution, a HUGE section of ice slid off the glacier and crashed into the sea below. When he spoke at the return cruisers gathering that evening, Captain Kent said it was the largest calving he had ever witnessed. With tears in his eyes, he said he felt that it was the glacier's way of saying goodbye to him as a Captain.

 

Pretty touching... both the actual calving, and to witness the love he has for his ship and Alaska.