Luke's Alaska Glacier Cruise experience

By Alaska Travel Writer Luke Chambers

One of the first things to come to mind when I hear Alaska is glaciers. Nowhere else in the country (and arguably the world) will you find glaciers like the ones in Alaska. Thousands of glaciers dot the landscape that makes up the Inside Passage, providing unsurpassed views of tidewater and terminal glaciers.

The first thing the captain said we were going to do was cross Fredrick Sound and visit Leconte Glacier, one of the most impressive tidewater glaciers in North America. We need to navigate a long narrow waterway to reach the glacier, carefully maneuvering the boat among the floating pieces of ice.

As we round the final bend of the waterway, the massive glacier comes into view. I am absolutely blown away by the sheer size of the glacial face. As we slowly motor to within a few hundred yards of the glacier, the first of many large pieces of ice breaks away from the glacier, producing a thunderous clap as it hits the water, making a wave so large that it rocks the ship.  

We mill around this magical spot for a couple of hours, taking time to take photos of both the ice and the collection of wildlife that seem to congregate here. we eventually convene downstairs for dinner, where we enjoy breathtaking views out all of the windows over an amazing spread of food and drink.

Later in the week I take advantage of the kayaks to get a closer look at some icebergs. I am amazed at the size of some of these floating pieces of ice, especially considering the fact that only about ten or fifteen percent of the icebergs are generally out of the water. I can’t get over the sense of freedom I feel when I’m in my own kayak, practically swimming with the other animals in the water.

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