May 29-June 3 Glacier Bay Adventure

Posted on June 25, 2011 by Kimber

Another great adventure in Glacier Bay.  Bears, Bears and more bears.  At Marjorie Glacier as we were paddling through ice along the bird rookery we spotted a large object tumbling down a very steep cliff face. We paddled a bit further out and as it came into view it was a brown bear who was desperately trying to keep his footing. He barely kept his front feet in front of the back feet in this somewhat out of control descent which ended with a big splash into the sea about 100 feet off of our kayaks. Then a quick swim to an area where he could get back up the cliff at a mad scramble. An amazing sight for sure.  54 species of birds, marmarines (another story for another day), leaping humpback whales were just some of our sightings.

 

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May 2011 “Conservation in Focus” Adventure!

Posted on June 23, 2011 by Kimber

This was an amazing adventure- Great Photographic coaching by Bob Roszinski & Wendy Shattil , fun journaling and art instruction by Marilyn, our shipboard naturalist and artist deckhand and the incredible flora, fauna and vista’s of Glacier Bay. We explored the East Arm, West Arm and the outer coast just as spring was peeping through the last shades of winter. We paddled over tide pools, hiked alongside massive glaciers and enjoyed a myriad of wildlife from the boat. Great pictures and video were shot by Cloud Ridge Naturalists participants.

Brown Bear

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Glacier Bay Humpback Whale Report

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Kimber

192 Humpback whales in Glacier Bay and Icy straits in 2010. We sure had some amazing whale sightings. We counted 27 breaches by one whale and I saw my first ever 4 whales breaching at one time.  Of course I did not have my camera. Click below to read the whole report.

Humpback whale report from Glacier Bay National Park.

Humpback Whale Fluke, Glacier Bay

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Humpback whale cow and calf tail lobbing together

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Humpback Whale rostrum

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Humpback whale calf

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Posted in 2010 Sea Wolf Adventures May-September, About Glacier Bay, Adventure Memories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

June is glorious in Glacier Bay, Alaska

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Kimber

June is a wonderful time to visit Glacier Bay. The weather is quite lovely with crisp clear air scented with spring. Bears are down low on the beaches feeding on succulent fresh sedges and intertidal creatures. This is when we start to see cubs out with their moms playing in the willows. All the whales are back from Hawaii and and feeding in the nutrient rich waters that course through Icy Straits and Glacier Bay. We had over 165 whales last year and that is not counting the Orcas or Minkes.  This is the start of the spring bloom-Lupine, Paintbrush, Chocolate Lily, Wild Iris, Ladies Slippers and Woodland Violets are just a few of the flora blanketing the mountainsides and perfuming the valleys.  We still have June openings so come explore, discover and learn with Sea Wolf Adventures.

McBride Glacier

McBride Glacier

Icebergs at McBride Inlet

Brown Bear Sow and her 2 year Old Gloomy Knob

Brownies

Brown Bear Sow and her 2 year Old Gloomy Knob

Bald Eagle

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Bald Eagle

Sunset

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One of our 2 hour sunsets

Close up Humpback Whales

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Close up Humpback Whales

Humpback Whales

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Humpback Whales

2 Flukes

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2 Flukes

Spring Lupine

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Spring Lupine

Ice

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Navigating Bergy Bits and Brash Ice

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Flight of the Tufted Puffin

Posted on March 8, 2011 by Kimber

Tufted Puffins are active at their nest colonies during the day and can often be seen sitting on rocks in an upright posture. Once airborne, they fly well but they need a running start to take flight. They dive and swim underwater, using their wings to paddle and their feet to steer their way through schools of small fish, which they catch in their bills. They can be seen carrying fish crosswise in their bills (sometimes 12 or more), which they take back to their young.  Studies have also  shown other reasons why natural selection favored small, pointed wings in many aquatic birds.  Apparently birds with small, pointed wings are adept at high-speed, long-distance flight, essential for rapid movement between habitats. But, small, pointed wings cannot generate lift at low speed, so rapid vertical takeoffs are impossible. This is not a big problem for most diving birds because their open aquatic habitats prevent close approach by undetected predators. In addition, when the birds slow down to land, their small wings stall easily and lose lift. Fortunately, high-speed hard landings are more acceptable on water than on land. Here is a takeoff sequence. We see them  on our adventures at their nesting areas or out at sea.

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Week one of haul out over-Whew!

Posted on March 5, 2011 by Kimber

Well the team is all assembled and the Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-op is assisting me in running the show.  Boat is mostly prepped for painting by Neil, Joshua and Lee. Keith and Crystal are working  the long list of engineering projects and preparation for the season. Dianna is prepping some showers and the house for painting and varnishing. Roberto, Chris & Jeff have worked on the new bow ramp, deck repairs and  figuring out how to swap out an old 600 pound range for a new one.  Me well, I write the checks and have all the fun talking to guests who are excited about their Alaska Adventure- that is the best job.  We are testing to see how this blog will transfer to facebook. Relevant Arts has been amazing in setting up these links and in getting the website functioning much better. They are awesome designers both from the quality of work and great personalities to work with.  Thanks to everyone for their hard work and dedication! Here is a fun Glacier Bay picture . Soon to come haul out photos.Brownie Shaking off after a swim

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May-September Weather in Glacier Bay

Posted on February 26, 2011 by Kimber
Glacier Bay’s weather is greatly influenced by the N. Pacific ocean currents, mountains and the rivers of glacial ice that cascade down the mountain sides. If we have misty rain down bay then many times when we get up bay there is a giant sucker hole of blue over the glaciers to enjoy a sunny paddle. Each fjord you slip into can offer its own weather pattern. I love May, June, Late August and September-crisp, cool, so very few people, returning whales, bears grazing on the intertidal and less chance of rain. Late June, July and August offer spectacular wildflower blooms, scrumptious berries, cavorting whales and bears foraging on the hillsides. Sockeye, Pink and finally the Coho salmon start pooling up in front of streams waiting for the summer rains that give them the fresh and higher waters that they need to make their way upstream to spawn. We are a rainforest and need rain for this fragile ecosystem to flourish-so rain is welcome, although my dream 24 hours is a  sunny 65 degree day and a gentle soaking rain while we sleep. So if you are dressed for the weather, layered clothing and good rain gear, it is all wonderful!
Storm

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Crazy Storm

This is the first time I have Lenticular Clouds build in our skiies. Thunder boomed in the near distance and lightening rent the sky in brilliant jagged flashes of light. A very unusual event for SE Alaska and definitely held us in awe. When the clouds reached the cold glacial winds it turned onto itself and then quickly dissapated.

Swimming in Glacier Bay

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And warm enough days for some folks to go swimming.

On warm days some, not many of our hardy guests decide a polar bear dip is just what they need to perfect their day.

Rainbow after the rain

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Rainbow after the rain

Rainbow after the gentle misting rain. Paddling in Tarr Inlet.

Cruising up to Marjorie Glacier

Marjorie Glacier

Cruising up to Marjorie Glacier

Beautiful sunshine and clear skies create beautiful reflections.

 

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Posted on February 17, 2011 by Kimber
Intertidal Creatures

Intertidal Creatures

How many intertidal creatures can you see in this photo and what are their names?
Glacier Bay amazes people with the broad range of hundreds if not thousands of creatures who live in the tidal range . I shot this photo from a kayak at one of my favorite paddling places where there is a vertical tide pool. As the tide goes out the mysteries of the 5 tidal zones become revealed.

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A surreal paddle to Johns Hopkins Glacier

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Kimber
Paddling to Johns Hopkins Glacier

Paddling to Johns Hopkins Glacier

One of my favorite paddles is heading up to Chocolate Falls in Johns Hopkins Inlet. The conditions allow for this only a few times a summer so when they are present, it’s lets go!  There is an amazing view of Johns Hopkins Glacier. It is a late summer/fall paddle and entirely dependent on how much ice is in the inlet. On this paddle we spotted a Peregrine Falcon nest up on the north cliff face-very cool. An awesome paddle through the ice and we ate our lunch at the falls and explored the beaches. The glacier calved every 4 minutes and there were bear, mountain goat and wolf tracks along the beach.  A very memorable day!

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Paddling at Marjorie Glacier, Glacier Bay

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Kimber
Eagle has Landed

Paddling by a Bald Eagle perched on an ice berg- May in Glacier Bay

One of our favorite paddles is  at Marjorie Glacier in Tarr Inlet. You paddle at a safe distance across the face of the glacier hoping for giant chunks of ice falling from the face with a resounding cannon like boom and huge splash of ice and frigid water. An added bonus is the kittiwake and puffin rookeries filled with thousands of nesting birds. So were we ever over the top with sensory input when an eagle landed on an ice burg next to us as we were paddling back to the Sea Wolf. I would love if people who have traveled with us can tell about their experience paddling here-it is an epic event.

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