GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK & PRESERVE
I put a couple of today's pictures on Facebook with the following caption:
"I feel very fortunate. Many people never have a chance to visit Glacier Bay US National Park. We've been able to learn from visits a number of times."
As we didn't get onboard the ship until 4:30 am, we didn't have a very thorough sleep at all. Jay woke up automatically at nine o'clock but I slept until nearly eleven.
Fortunately, even though our ship was late in arriving at the National Park, the rangers altered our visitor timings and we didn't miss a thing. Actually, the schedule was better because we had the US Forest Service Rangers on the ship but didn't drop them back at the entrance until 7:00 pm. Generally, the Holland America ships drop those employees at their post at around 3:00 pm.
Additionally, it's important to mention that only two cruise ships per day are allowed into the 3.3 million-acre parkland. Smaller vessels require special permission to visit too.
Cruise ship visits are not new to the area. In fact, during the 1880s and 90s laid the formation of the tourist industry. Steamships also brought hordes of geologists to the area and began the scientific tradition of documenting changes to the glaciers there.
As well as the rangers, a member of the Tlingit peoples set up some demonstrations and artifacts in the Crow's Nest inside observation deck. I like how the US Forest Service and the local people cooperate in keeping the unique wilderness intact. There was a period running commentary of park facts. The information broadened the experience of guests both young and old.
