A Glacial repose — TO FALL UP

Jul 24

Jul 24 A Glacial repose

Whittier, Alaska (a.k.a “town under one roof" since most of its residents live within the same 14-story Begich Towers apartment building).

From someone who was there, and looking back on these photos, the serene feeling is so adequately portrayed. Imagine yourselves, snug tight in a kayak in the early morning hours, with nothing in front of you but the morning yawn and stretch of the current that brings chunks of ice past you. You see three glaciers from a field of ice that blends in with the clouded skyline, and you know that nature has this rare, beautiful display as a testament of its ability to awe. While it was sad to know that global warming is quickly erasing these glaciers, it was more uplifting to see the powerful ability that nature has to form, change, heal, and disappear. After a while the clicking of the camera ceased, and we glided soundlessly towards the Blackstone Bay Glacier. On our way we met happily with a waterfall, a seal, and a cluster of hundreds of birds shouting and flapping about us. We caught many sights of the glacier caving, and inched up to its towering facade, feeling like a pebble outside of Olympus. The tiny icebergs grew in size and number, and we carefully and gently made our way through them, thrilled at the clear blue depths of each one. We ate lunch under the eye of a Bald Headed Eagle and sat on icebergs that had washed up by the tide. With tidal ranges up to 40 feet, Alaska has the highest tides in the States, which was amazing to witness in such a small time frame.

From that experience, we can close our eyes as see clearly the densely packed ice shining a pure and white blue. We see the silted waters beneath us, and can almost reach out to grab a floating iceberg. It was a day that passed in pleasant perfectness.

If you ever make your way to Alaska, we highly recommend this adventure. Check out Alaska Sea Kayaker (ask for William as your guide) and then make your way to Wild Catch Cafe for an amazing salmon burger! Cross your fingers for a nice day, after all, Whittier is the wettest city in America.