Day 2—Hubbard Glacier

Looks like a Coors beer can (when it's cold enough to drink).

This morning, we thought about going to the gym to exercise.  After a bit of a lazy morning, we made it to breakfast.  Later in the morning, we actually found the gym.  Tomorrow has better prospects.  J

We grabbed the Mensa Quizzes in the library and worked through them.  Each of us got 4 of 5 questions, so together, we got 100% (I mean, with cheating, of course). 

In the afternoon, for the 4^th of July, they had a “American Barbeque”.  But there were hamburgers and American cheese, mahi mahi “burgers”, turkey burgers, not-quite-right fried chicken, and no hot dogs, with Samuel Adams and Budweiser on ice.  There was also “apple pie” that looked like no apple I’ve ever seen and pecan pie that wasn’t right either.  The head chef is from Austria, so…  Everything was good, but a lot of things kind of amiss.  Bill had the Sam Adams (seemed fitting) and Theresa opted for the Alaskan White (also fitting).   

Iceberg.  (Not the lettuce type!)

By 2:00, we were heading into the Bay of Disenchantment, on our way to see Hubbard Glacier.  When they were looking for a Northwest Passage, one of the captains sailed in and got all the way up to this annoying wall of ice.  There was no “Night Watch”, but he was displeased and named the bay to suit his mood.  But, as we closed in, from 17 miles away, it was already huge looking, and the there was another cruise ship near it.  From that distance, the 2000+ passenger cruise ship was a speck, dwarfed by the glacier face and the surrounding mountains.  The weather was perfect, with bright sun, roughly 70s temperatures, and calm air.  The water was quiet and mostly still.  The lecturer talked about the border of Alaska and its history.  The Russian hunted fur seals, and claimed all of its habitat in the water.  The British hunted beavers and wanted the inland water and land.  So, when the US bought Alaska from Russia, the boundary was established as 35 miles from the major waterways, then pick the nearest high peak.  Connect the peak (dots) until they got to the highest peak, and go straight North.  So, that’s why the South East arm of Alaska looks like it does.

Hubbard Glacier from about 17 miles away.  If you look closely
you can find a tiny ship, about at the middle of the face.

Here is a close up of the ship.

That tiny speck was this big ship!!

The glacier face.  The blackish stuff is the debris and rock
that the glacier picked up along the way.

We ventured closer to the face, which is about 6 miles long, and probably got to within 10 miles.  Since there were so many people around the sides of the ship, we went back to our room and enjoyed the view from our balcony (since we have one, right?).  It was kind of amazing because it was so quiet, we could hear the ice!!  As the ice thaws and freezes over and over, it traps air in it.  Then as it warms in the bay and melts, the air expands and pops like Rice Krispies.    

It also has lots of rock dust, that becomes silt in the water.  Or if the glacier stops in place and just melts, it leaves all of that silt in one spot...which is how Long Island (NY) was formed!

Hubbard with the mountains in the background.

A bit of Hubbard between/behind us.

Irony:  Canada Dry with Alaska Wet.

Afternoon traffic on vacation.

At 4:30, it was trivia time!!  We joined a family from Cleveland.  One of them worked at a paint manufacturer.  We shared that Bill had taken a training class at their competitor, and talked a little bit about paint.  He mentioned that he developed paint for the US Government, and Theresa asked if he knew about the company she is consulting with currently, and he is very familiar with them.  It is kind of funny to make two random connections like that.  Anyway, together we got 13 of the 15 questions right, so came in second place.

Popcorn and Ice Cream? 

For dinner, we tried a specialty restaurant, and both of us got the Surf and Turf, with Filet Mignon and Lobster tail for Theresa and Crab Legs for Bill.  For dessert, Theresa had their "signature" dessert, a 14 layer chocolate cake, and Bill had the "Caramel Popcorn Ice Cream Sundae".  In case you wondered, caramel popcorn and ice cream really don't work...in my opinion.  After dinner, we went to see the comedian and grabbed an after dinner drink and night cap.

Happy 4th of July!!