Hanging Glaciers in Wachusett Inlet, Glacier Bay

The Carroll Glacier with the prominent medial moraines (streaks of crushed rock that form parallel dark lines down the glacier).

Sunrise (which looks a lot like sunset) from our anchorage in S. Sandy Cove.  

For what it is worth, it got dark at about 1230 (12:30am) and light again at 0245 (2:45 am).   It is hard to get to sleep when it is so light all the time!

A pair of nonplused sea otters as we departed the cove.
Work calls.   I closed a new client for my client today.  Thank heavens for Starlink.  I have solid connectivity from anywhere, even for video calls.


And our first hanging glacier (I don't know which one this is).   It is just up on the north side as we turn from the Muir Inlet into the Wachusett Inlet.
Beautiful "U" shaped hanging valleys & bowls line both sides of the fjord (Wachusett Inlet).
A lovely cascade plummeting down the steep hillside.  These hills are essentially the lateral moraines left over from the sides of the glacier that formerly occupied this inlet.   So, they carry a lot of sediment down and carve steep channels in the rock.
We saw some kayak campers along the side of the fjord.


 




As we approach the head of the fjord and the two glaciers there.   One is the Carroll Glacier (left), the other is the Cushing glacier (right).   You can't see the Cushing Glacier from where we are.

The water's color changes from a deep blue, to a green, to milky gray/tan as we approach the glaciers.
Our band of intrepid explorers at the head of Wachusett Inlet.
And the Carroll Glacier there...  The Cushing Glacier is off to the right, but you can't see it from this vantage point.

Panoramic shot behind us as we depart the Carroll Glacier.

Heading down the fjord, we cross from the milky gray/tan water back into the green water.

While it may look a bit like it, we are not in the Bahamas or the Caribbean!  And this water is not clear; it is full of sediments from the glaciers.   It was also 33 degrees.   Brrrrr.

The color is caused by glacial flour.  Glacial flour is finely ground/pulverized rock that is microscopic and suspended in meltwater.  The flour reflects the sky giving the water its unusual appearance.

We came back down the eastern arm, rounded Tlingit Point, and headed up the western arm.   

Today we went 28 miles from S. Sandy Cove to the Carroll Glacier and another 35 miles from there over to Blue Mouse Cove.

That is the Fairweather Range in front of us.
An artsy shot of the Fairweather Range.

Bergy bits in Glacier Bay off of Blue Mouse Cove.

This berg is stranded along the shore just outside of Blue Mouse Cove.

Susan thought this looked like a hippo coming out of the water.

Here is a video as we cruise up to Blue Mouse Cove.

Captain Chef manning the wok.   I made Kung Pao Chicken loosely following Jet Tila's recipe and guidance.   Mostly, I added extra garlic, chilis (lots of chilis), and veggies.

Jet Tila's recipe is easy, quick, and very tasty - I highly recommend it.   He is all over YouTube, so you can find it there.
And here is the finished product, ready to serve.
And it was a big hit.
Dinner was paired with the 2020 Sassetti Livio Pertimali Brunello.   What a fabulous, great drinking reasonably priced Brunello.
Just some late evening shots from our anchorage.


Tomorrow, we go visit the tidewater glaciers: Marjorie Glacier, Grand Pacific Glacier, Muir Glacier, and Johns Hopkins Glacier.   We can't get too close to the Johns Hopkins Glacier as the seals are giving birth to the next generation on the icebergs.    We aren't allowed in as they are easily disturbed.

More details tomorrow.

Good Night, My Friends.


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