Glacier Bay question

[cruisepal48]

For those of you who have been to Glacier Bay, do you usually see them calving? My 1st trip was to tracy arm/sawyer glacier. We could hardly even see the glaciers let alone calve. I was a bit disappointed. That's why I insisted on a different itinerary. Thanks

[serene56]

I'd like to know the answer to this too- from reading the port of calls board it would see that June is too early in the season for calving.

I would want later in July/August for that.

[sppunk]

This past week, we say calving on Marjorie glacier. I overheard a conversation the next day between two men, one saying to the other before the calving began he heard gunshots and noticed a gunshot hole on the ice - he believes HAL had a crewmember shoot the glacier to allow for calving.

 

I laughed for a good while!

[kenish]

My friend returned from a cruise that visited GB several weeks ago. He said the calving was very active compared to his previous cruises there.

[Gsel]

sspunk, I got a huge laugh from your post. It compares with the one I got from the comment at a dinner party from a women who said the Dall sheep she saw a Denali National Park had to be statues because they didn't move when she yelled at them. We have been to Glacier Bay three times, once to stay at Glacier Lodge for four days and have seen the glacier calve many times at all times of the summer. Of course, the weather has a lot to do with what the glacier will do, but the noise you hear (that sounds like gunshots) is the sound of ice breaking away from the glacier. More than likely you will see the glacier calve! Enjoy, don't forget your camera

[caviargal]

I have been to Alaska 6x in June and have been lucky to see calving on most of those trips. Last June we saw calving at Marjorie Glacier.

 

I am quite sure no gunshots were involved.:cool:

[Alaskabound77]

Come on, Global Warming!!!! (kidding......sort of)

[jackkip]

We went on our first trip to Alaska last year. Visited Hubbard and saw no calving. Was very disappointed. This year we are going to try our luck with Glacier Bay. I am going to keep my fingers crossed that we see more activity this year.

[Xoe]

We've cruised Alaska 6x, most often in May, once in June, and have always seen calving, not only in Glacier Bay, also College Fjord and Hubbard Glacier -- also in Tracy Arm. Neither HAL nor Mother Nature can promise this, but chances are good that you will see it.

 

The "gunshot" sound before calving is indeed an attention-getter, and announces that it's time to pay attention; however I'll guess the ship would be escorted out of there permanently if any cruise line employee were using a gun for this purpose (or any other).

 

Wildlife and nature are . . . WILD! There's always an element of luck involved. Good luck -- and, enjoy the cruise, no matter what wonders of nature you do or don't see. Alaska has so much that is wonderful!

[manbehindthecurtain]

For those of you who have been to Glacier Bay, do you usually see them calving? My 1st trip was to tracy arm/sawyer glacier. We could hardly even see the glaciers let alone calve. I was a bit disappointed. That's why I insisted on a different itinerary. Thanks

 

A good portion of luck is also involved in seeing glaciers calve. In glacier bay you will typically spend at least an hour sitting at the face on Margerie glacier (an a lot closer than you got to tracy arm's glacier). Sometimes you see lots, other times barely even an icecube falls off.

Hubbard glacier is much larger, so you will most likely see more calving there. But if the glacier has been very active, there will be so much ice in the bay that the ship can't even get close, and you won't see any calving either.

 

Just bring your good luck with you, and it's still an amazing experience.

[Kane]

We were on the Statendam visit to Glacier Bay earlier this month, on May 13th. The ship pulled-up close to the Marjorie Glacier and sat there for about an hour. There were many (est > a dozen) calvings, and they were VERY audible.

 

Here's a photo sequence of the most spectacular of them:

 

 

 

Photos can't really capture the scale of the happening. The face of the Glacier was over 250 feet high, so the collapsing spire shown was more than 100 ft tall.

 

An interesting FYI: The "Smokey" park rangers that came aboard to do the narration said that tidewater glaciers (like the Marjorie) do not give any good indication about global warming. Only glaciers that terminate on land do.

[Hoyaheel]

When we were in Alaska in Sept. we saw lots of things, and amazed our tablemates and others who it seemed rarely saw anything....Difference is--we actually looked:rolleyes: We were out on deck or our balcony, with binoculars and cameras in hand, almost as often as we had daylight to see by. It stunned us that we rarely saw/heard any of our neighbors out on their balconies (or, they'd pop their heads out for 2 minutes and go back inside...How are you going to see anything if that's the extent of your attempt?)

 

I'm not saying that this would describe you. Just trying to remind people that in order to "see" things, you have to look;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Have been to Glacier Bay many times and have always seen Majorie Glacier calve.

 

Enjoy!!

[Bill S]

We were at Glacier Bay last week on the Amsterdam and witnessed several calving events. It was not spectacular by any means but enough to generate cheering from the ship. It was the most we have seen in our two prior visits to Glacier Bay, however.

[cruisepal48]

Thanks you all for your replies. I enjoyed the experiences and pictures. I can't wait to see Glacier Bay. And yes, I will be up on deck with my binoculars, camera,and video camera. I'll be waiting for the gunshot sound:D

 

5 days and I'll be on my way. You all on CC have been very helpful in my planning.

[caviargal]

Thanks you all for your replies. I enjoyed the experiences and pictures. I can't wait to see Glacier Bay. And yes, I will be up on deck with my binoculars, camera,and video camera. I'll be waiting for the gunshot sound:D

 

5 days and I'll be on my way. You all on CC have been very helpful in my planning.

 

cruisepal, we will be on board with you. Looking forward to it!

[cccole]

This past week, we say calving on Marjorie glacier. I overheard a conversation the next day between two men, one saying to the other before the calving began he heard gunshots and noticed a gunshot hole on the ice - he believes HAL had a crewmember shoot the glacier to allow for calving.

 

I laughed for a good while!

 

I would have laughed too. We were in Glacier Bay about 8 years ago and if I remember correctly a U.S. park ranger boarded the ship early in the a.m. to give us a very detailed explanation of what we were seeing. I have also heard that only a few ships are granted access each year and would assume that if they were shooting up the glaciers they may be banned. Glacier Bay remains one of my favorite cruising memories. Cherie

[jtl513]

And yes, I will be up on deck with my binoculars, camera,and video camera. I'll be waiting for the gunshot sound:D

But if you wait until you hear the sound before looking, all you will see is the final splash of water.

 

Last Sep we saw a fair amount of calving at Marjorie - maybe 6 or 7 good chunks - but we saw many more huge calvings at Hubbard in Jul '02.

[InTheWASide]

cruisepal, we will be on board with you. Looking forward to it!

 

And I'll be on with BOTH of you! :)

[yiddishkopf]

We were on the Statendaams repositioning cruise (Kobe to Vancouver) and were in Glacier Bay in early May -- probably about the 6th or 7th. We were very fortunate to see and hear a lot of calving. The sound is like an avalanch would make-- that is how an avalanch sounds in the movies.

 

It was a wonderful experience. I really loved Alaska and look forward to seeing more of it.

[caviargal]

And I'll be on with BOTH of you! :)

 

The extended forecasts are quite good. Let's keep our fingers crossed for smooth seas and sunshine:).

[hawgwildterry]

We were at Glacier Bay on the Veendam May 20, 2008. There was not a lot of calving going on but Marjorie Glacier did provide a couple photo ops.

 

 

 

 

 

[shotei]

Many years ago (before my time), I understand that there were no rangers to supervise and the cruise ships would get up close to the glaciers and sound their horns. All of a sudden, lots of calving!

 

Of course, they don't do that any more.

 

Marc

[santaharry]

In Skagway on a NB cruise a lady was retuurning from town with a lot of packages, I remarked that the next Shopping would be in Ancorage and she responded "I plan to go the the Glacier Bay Factory outlet tomorrow".

 

I tried my best to explain what Galcier Bay was but she was convinced there was a mall to shop at there.

 

I never saw it.

 

No toys for her that year!

[hawgwildterry]

 

I tried my best to explain what Galcier Bay was but she was convinced there was a mall to shop at there.

 

I never saw it.

 

The Outlet Store is just around the corner at Glacier Bay. You just have to watch the first step as you leave the ship to get to it. :eek: