Just a Typical Day in Glacier Bay
A Kayak Adventure
June 2009

OVERVIEW
Glacier Bay National Park is one of America's premier wilderness areas and is a highlight of Alaska. It has received international recognition as both a World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve. The waters are sheltered making it a perfect kayak destination. The bay has two major arms, each about 60 miles in length and numerous inlets which depart from these arms. Here you can see calving glaciers and observe wildlife. In 1794, when George Vancouver "discovered" Glacier Bay, the entire area was covered by glaciers up to 4,000 feet thick. The ice has melted back by 60 miles to create today's Glacier Bay. This area is one of only three places on earth (along with Mt. St. Helens in Washington and the island of Surtsey near Iceland) where ecologists can study first hand how a new and completely bare landscape is populated over time by plants and animals.

Four of us - Dave Erskine, Armando Menocal, Craig Miller, and I - completed a 22-day paddle in June/July 2009. Park headwaters is located at Bartlett Cove, at the southern end of the bay. We paddled north from Bartlett Cove, first exploring the East Arm and finishing with the West Arm. We used the park tourboat to return at the end. A summary of journal entries follows. A map showing our route and a day-by-day itinerary showing campsites are at the end of the article.

PREPARATION
We all fly from various locations via Alaska Airlines to the small town of Gustavus. A late afternoon taxi ride takes us to Bartlett Cove where we set up our tents in the free campground a quarter mile from the Rangers Station. Wheelbarrows (modified with 2 front wheels) are provided to haul gear to the campground. We bring our camping equipment and food from home but have arranged to rent 2 double sea kayaks. We have 2 days to get ready. Lot's to do! A free backcountry permit is provided by the rangers along with an orientation briefing and copies of tide tables. Annie delivers our rented kayaks and explains the importance of not damaging the fiberglass when landing on the rocky shores. She also has a wealth of information about prime places to visit in the bay. Most people who kayak here plan much shorter trips. We have enough time to see most of the park. Our major job right now is to pack 22 days worth of food into the food canisters that have been provided to us by the rangers. It is mandatory to use these to keep bears away from our food. We manage to fit 4 canisters into each kayak and arrange a food drop in 11 days where we will exchange empty canisters for full ones. Amazingly, all the food we brought fits into the 16 canisters! Bartlett Cove also has a lodge with a visitors center above it. We attend several of the excellent presentations given by knowledgeable rangers and obtain good advice on camping spots and possible hikes. After a very dry May, rain has returned; it rains on and off during our short 2-night stay at Bartlett Cove. However, this does not deter the mosquitos, who infest the campground.

THE PADDLE
Day 1- June 16 - 16 miles
No rain today and almost no mosquitos. A welcome change from the last 2 nights. Today we launch early to paddle through the narrow channel into the Beardslee Islands which has to be done at high tide. Fifteen minutes from camp we see a wolf along the channel. What luck!! Only the second wolf I have ever seen in the wild. It is the only wolf we will see on our trip. We route-find our way through a maze of islands and have to lift our kayaks over some rocks in the narrow channel leading into Beartrack Cove. Late in the day, we see our first black bear and some sea otters. York Creek is our first camp and we are happy to have sunshine most of the afternoon as we dry out gear from our wet experience in Bartlett Cove.

Day 2 - June 17 - 17 miles
Armando brings me Peet's Coffee in my tent at 6:30 a.m. I am going to enjoy this trip! Packing is faster today. We paddle north toward Muir Point past an island named Puffin Island with no puffins. We round a point where John Muir built a cabin in 1790 to study the glaciers. Camp is at the mouth of Adams Inlet, a bird-watcher's paradise. Tomorrow we will explore the inlet and camp at the same location.

Day 3 - June 18 - 21 miles
Today it is nice not to break camp. A very early start allows us to ride the tide into the inlet to its head and ride it back out later. Early starts are tough since we haven't become accustomed to going to sleep when it is light. It is light enough to read in our tents until 11 at night and it is light again at 4 in the morning. It never gets completely dark. The rain that started yesterday afternoon continues on and off all day. Early mist provides good photography. The tidal push that we were expecting is minimal - maybe it is prominent only at extreme tides. The alluvial fan in front of Adams Glacier extends for 2 miles and is covered with birds foraging for food at low tide. The terminal moraine is one of the biggest we have ever seen. At the end of the inlet we spot our first brown (grizzly) bear of the trip. We are almost totally ignored as we sit in our kayaks, 150 feet away, watching him eat grass.

Day 4 - June 19 - 16 miles
We continue up the East Arm to a camp on the north side of McBride Inlet. Here, icebergs move in and out between the small 2-mile inlet and the larger Muir Channel as the tide changes. The narrow channel can be quite dangerous at times. I walk along the lagoon photographing icebergs, reflections, and the iceberg interactions and movements in the narrow channel.

Day 5 - June 20 - 18 miles
Another rest day. On this trip, that means that we will camp at the same place for 2 nights. It doesn't mean we rest! We paddle our empty kayaks 9 miles north to near the end of Muir Inlet where we view the famous glacier of the same name. It is hard to believe that this glacier has retreated about 30 miles since John Muir made his first trip here in 1879. We also pass by the huge Riggs Glacier. To finish out the day, another brown bear is spotted on a grassy slope as we pass by.

Day 6 - June 21 - 11 miles
Today is the highpoint of the trip! After observing the "Icy Vortex of Death" (the name given to the channel leading into McBride Inlet) for 2 days, it is clear that it can be paddled safely at slack low tide. Dangerous rapids are formed only when large amounts of water enter or leave the inlet. We paddle in with empty boats around 9 a.m. Inside we circle around spectacular icebergs with blue reflections and view the face of McBride Glacier from a safe distance. This is the only area on our entire trip that we see really big icebergs. McBride is a tide water glacier which means that it extends into the saltwater. As the glacier meets the water, huge chunks become separated and eventually float off. Later on we will see larger tide water glaciers, but without big icebergs since the calving ice tends to fall from up high and shatters when it hits the water. As we leave, the strong incoming tide has formed a Class 2 rapid at the channel and icebergs are tumbling around. We use an eddy to get part way out but then line our boats the remaining distance. A short afternoon paddle takes us to a campsite at Rowlee Point, about 8 miles south.

Day 7 - June 22 - 16 miles
Three kinds of whales can be seen at Glacier Bay: humpback, minke, and orca. Two minkes are seen today from our kayaks. After setting up camp, we spend the rest of the day in our tents staying dry from the persistent rain.

Day 8 - June 23 - 18 miles
After having continuous rain all night, it finally stops in the morning and we have a beautiful day. We enter the West Arm of Glacier Bay. Park regulations allow 2 cruise ships per day to visit the West Arm so we will have company the remainder of the trip. We explore Tidal Inlet on the way to our best campsite just below a feature called Gloomy Knob which we will climb tomorrow. Two brown bears also like the camp; we see then twice during our stay.

Day 9 - June 24
The weather is perfect for our hike. The ascent goes easily with a touch of 3rd Class here and there. A bald eagle sits on the summit watching us as we approach. We see bald eagles every day on the trip. Mt. Fairweather at 15,300 feet dominates the view to the west. Four hours later, back in camp, a humpback whale entertains us as it fishes in the cove right in front of our camp, just 40 feet away. Round and round it goes. It releases bubbles in a circle underwater, a technique called "bubble netting". This confuses its prey, small fish and krill, allowing the whale to move up and grab a mouthful. Not since Scammons Lagoon in Baja have I had this close of an encounter with a whale. It is an amazing experience.

Day 10 - June 25 - 15 miles
Our wildlife viewing continues. As we paddle into Queen Inlet, we see 3 more brown bears from the kayaks and several puffins. Glacier Bay has very large tide fluctuations. Tides can change by 24 vertical feet in a 6 hour period which equates to a tide change of as much as 1 inch per minute. This is bothersome when we stop for lunch. We have to stay with our kayaks to keep them from drifting off when the tide is rising or from becoming grounded when the tide is falling. It is difficult to move a loaded fiberglass kayak back into the water over rough stones. The passing cruise ships have a large wake which is not a problem when we are paddling but when on shore, waves bash against our kayaks. The fiberglass is too delicate to be able to pull the kayak up on the rocks. I miss my plastic boat from home which is practically non-destructible.

Day 11 - June 25 - 15 miles
A major milestone occurs today. We meet the Fairweather Express, to exchange empty food canisters for full ones. This boat does a daily trip into the West Inlet from Bartlett Cove. It also drops off kayakers and their boats to allow people with less time to concentrate their paddling at the heads of the East or West Arms without having to paddle all the way from Bartlett Cove. And it will pick them up afterwards. It is time to celebrate because we now have enough food for 11 more days. We see a humpback whale on our longest open water crossing of the trip, slightly over 2 miles.

Day 12 - June 27 - 10 miles
Except for 2 days of sunshine, we have experienced periodic light rain much of the time. Today is no exception. And this is the dry season in Glacier Bay. May and June are considered the driest months. The highlight today is entering a tidal estuary in Skidmore Bay via a narrow channel. The very strong current requires careful timing with the tides.

Day 13 - June 28 - 10 miles
Another narrow channel allows us to exit Skidmore Bay to the North at high tide. To do this, we carry our boat for 30 feet with slings and line it another quarter mile since the tide isn't quite high enough. We camp early today at Reid Inlet in a spectacular location in front of Reid Glacier. It is a beautiful sunny day, for a change. We are surrounded by wildlife. There are nesting oystercatchers, gulls, and arctic terns nearby. Unfortunately, we don't know exactly where their nests are and several of us are dive bombed. Armando is actually hit in the back by an oystercatcher while he kneels to take a photo. As we finish dinner, we watch a mother grizzly and cub about 200 feet away munching on grass. She is aware of us but pays no attention. The noise of a passing motorboat causes them to run off in the brush. Fifteen minutes later, they return to their meal. We adjourn to our tents and are reading and writing while the bears finish eating. Just a typical day at Glacier Bay.

Day 14 - June 29 - 4 miles
A rest day today includes a short paddle beneath Reid Glacier and a hike along the glacial moraine. We were told by the rangers that more than 400,000 people a year visit Glacier Bay but only 10% of them touch the ground. Most come on huge cruise ships carrying 3,000 passengers. Today from camp we see 2 ships together passing by in opposite directions. What a change from being alone in the wilderness and then suddenly having 6,000 people all possibly looking at you through binoculars and telescopes. Fifteen minutes later, solitude returns as the ships disappear.

Day 15 - June 30 - 10 miles
More glaciers await. Lamplugh Glacier is a short distance from camp and showcases a huge waterfall exiting its center. While we watch, orca whales pass us heading for the seal breeding grounds up ahead. The dorsal fin of a male orca is the largest any of us has ever seen. An hour later, we view John Hopkins Glacier, 6 miles away at the end of an inlet. This glacier is the only one in the park that is advancing currently. There is so much calving activity that often the entire inlet is choked with ice. The inlet is closed at this point to all visitors, including kayaks, until July 1 to protect the large numbers of seals giving birth on the floating ice. Cruise ships are never allowed in the Inlet. Today, we find a great camp just outside the closed area. In the late evening, we see the orcas returning from the end of the inlet. We wonder whether they reached the seals. Tomorrow we will kayak into the inlet as far as possible to find a place to camp closer to the glacier.

Day 16 - July 1 - 5 miles
We spot a campsite just one and a half miles from the face of John Hopkins Glacier. The camp is on a black sand beach and has gorgeous views of the ice covered inlet and the calving glacier beyond. We have to thread our way through floating ice and push more aside as we land. Glacial calving from the 250-foot high face occurs every few minutes, accompanied by loud noise. Later in the day, we see a cruise ship 6 miles away filled with people and binoculars. We are camped right in front of the show and consider ourselves very lucky.

Day 17 - July 2 - 22 miles
Our longest paddling day of the trip. We kayak to the far end of Tarr Inlet and camp across from Margerie Glacier. Unlike John Hopkins Inlet, where the floating ice kept us over a mile away from the glacier face, here we are able to get very close to Margerie. We stay about a quarter mile away to keep from being swamped by calving ice. At camp, we drink the last of our box wine. The trip is getting tougher!

Day 18 - July 3 - 5 miles
Today is one of the best photo days of the trip for me. I paddle around the inlet solo while the others do a hike. I photograph icebergs, reflections, gulls, and calving ice. I reflect today on how well-suited kayaking is for viewing birdlife. We see birds almost all of the time we are on the water. They fly over us, are in the water, and dot the rocks and beaches we pass. Although I am not an avid birder, it is fascinating to see thousands of birds and many different species. While cruise ships are ideal for people who would never otherwise visit Glacier Bay, they are very insulated from the natural world as seen from a kayak. At camp, I photograph 7 bald eagles sitting together on a sandbar sharing a fish dinner. Just a typical day in Glacier Bay.

Day 19 - July 4 - 12 miles
We eat off the land today. Camp is near fields of strawberries, which make a welcome addition to the oatmeal breakfasts. There appears to be enough to feed both us and the bears!

Day 20 - July 5 - 14 miles
Bears! That is the highlight today. Shortly after leaving camp, we see a brown bear at the tideline foraging for food. He is flipping over 70-pound rocks with one paw looking for something underneath. He looks up and sees up approaching but we merit only a 3-second glance. Back to breakfast. A flock of gulls surround the bear, hoping for some leftovers. Brave birds. Some are only 2 or 3 feet away. The sun is just right and I get the best bear photos yet. He is close enough to fill the frame. We observe him for 30 minutes. A few minutes later we see another bear along the shore. The question of the trip is why do the brown bears in Glacier Bay have absolutely no interest in us? It is like we are logs floating on the water. We camp early in 9-mile long Rendu Inlet. It is warm today and we are lucky to find a rare campsite with shade.

Day 21 - July 6 - 13 miles
We finish exploring Rendu Inlet seeing a multitude of waterfalls on both sides and retreating glaciers at the far end. A short crossing brings us back to the same place we camped on night 10 in Queen Inlet. We are 2 miles from where we will meet the Fairweather Express tomorrow for our ride out. It is our ninth straight day with sunshine and no rain.

Day 22- July 7 - 2 miles
Four other kayakers join us and we are all waiting and ready to board the boat when it arrives the following morning. Another group of kayakers and gear is unloaded first. We pass gear back and forth before climbing aboard. We are just in time for lunch. Since we have finished all of our food, this is good news. We eat wraps, clam chowder, and cookies. We are back in civilization. The boat passes by many of the places we have kayaked giving us another perspective. We add a few numbers to the wildlife sighting list; 3 brown bears, 2 sea otters, more orcas, and humpbacks. We are in Bartlett Cove by 3:30 p.m. and the 22-day kayak adventure is history. Tomorrow we will catch our return flight home from Gustavus.

SUMMARY
What did we see and experience? Solitude and relaxation for a start. We always arrived at camp early which left time to read, write, and just enjoy the surroundings. In the wilderness you don't have the distractions that are present at home and you get into a very simple rhythm. For those of you who like numbers, here goes. We saw 18 bears; 15 brown bears and 3 black bears. Three were seen on our boat ride, five while at camp, nine while in our kayaks, and one at Bartlett Cove. All three types of whales were seen, minkes, humpbacks, and orcas. We also saw a wolf, one river otter, sea otters, porpoises, harbor seals, and a multitude of birds. A partial list includes bald eagles (dozens), oystercatchers, pigeon gillimonts, black-legged kittiwakes, arctic terns, many types of gulls, loons, harlequin ducks, marbled muralets, grebes, cormorants, and golden eyes. We paddled about 270 miles. It rained 10 out of the first 14 days before having beautiful sunshine for the last 11 days. We only had a few days with bad bugs. The worst was in the Bartlett Cove campground.

OUR ITINERARY
Day 1 - Start paddling at Bartlett Cove, camp at York Creek
Day 2 - Camp at Dirt Glacier
Day 3 - Explore Adams Inlet, camp at Dirt Glacier again
Day 4 - Camp near McBride Inlet
Day 5 - Explore Muir Glacier, Riggs Glacier, camp near McBride Inlet again
Day 6 - Kayak among the icebergs in McBride Inlet, camp at Rowlee Point
Day 7 - Camp at Tingit Point
Day 8 - Explore Tidal Inlet, camp at Gloomy Knob
Day 9 - Climb Gloomy Knob, camp at Gloomy Knob again
Day 10 - Explore Queen Inlet, camp on east shore of Queen Inlet
Day 11 - Resupply food from Fairweather Express, camp near Blue Mouse Cove
Day 12 - Explore tidal estuary in Skidmore Bay, camp in Skidmore Bay
Day 13 - Exit Skidmore Bay to the North, camp at Reid Inlet
Day 14 - Hike along Reid Glacier, camp at Reid Inlet again
Day 15 - Visit Lamplugh Glacier, camp at Topika Glacier
Day 16 - Explore John Hopkins Inlet, camp near end
Day 17 - Camp at end of Tarr Inlet next to Grand Pacific Glacier and across from Margerie Glacier
Day 18 - Kayak in front of Margerie, camp at Tarr Inlet again
Day 19 - Camp north of Russel Island
Day 20 - Camp in Rendu Inlet
Day 21 - Explore Rendu Inlet, camp on east shore of Queen Inlet, same as camp 10
Day 22 - Pickup by Fairweather Express, arrive in Bartlett Cove

REFERENCES
(1) Glacier Bay National Park - General information about park, permits, etc. www.nps.gov/glba
(2) Glacier Bay Sea Kayaks - Place to rent kayaks. www.glacierbayseakayaks.com
(3) Beartrack Mercantile in Gustavus - Local shopping. Phone 907-697-2358.
(4) Adventure Kayaking, Trips in Glacier Bay, by Don Skillman (1998) - Most useful of the guidebooks.
(5) Alaska's Glacier Bay, by Karen Jettmar (1997)
(6) Glacier Bay National Park, by Jim DuFresne (1987)
(6) Bear Basics, by Dave Smith (1997)
(7) Glacier Bay, National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map - the only map you need.

LOGISTICS
Should you Kayak in Glacier Bay?
The most important skill needed for a Glacier Bay kayak trip is to be proficient in wet weather camping. It can rain for days on end here. You should also have the ability to assess risk, so that you know when to get off the water. The upper reaches of the bay are very protected and the conditions are closer to those found in a large lake than on the ocean. Many people kayak in Glacier Bay who have never been in a kayak before. Advanced paddlers who are comfortable with ocean conditions and breaking waves will be able to paddle in almost any sea condition Glacier Bay can offer. You need to study the tide tables. Good gear selection is important. The Glacier Bay Sea Kayaks website has an excellent equipment list. Of major importance is a good waterproof tent, rubberized raingear, and rubber boots. A neoprene wet suit is a bad choice of clothing. You will be hot and uncomfortable when the weather is good. Wetsuits are useful for water sports where there is a high probability of immersion. Tipping over a double kayak in Glacier Bay, assuming you can assess risk, is less likely than getting struck by lighting. The appropriate clothing is layers of capilene, fleece, nylon, and raingear used as the weather dictates. The same is true for footwear. The water is cold and you step in it every time you enter or leave the kayak. Neoprene footwear will result in cold feet all the time. Use rubber boots.
Getting To Glacier Bay
No problem. Alaska Airlines has daily service from Juneau to Gustavus for the summer season starting about mid-June. It is also possible to get there by boat but Gustavus is not connected to the regular Southeast Alaska Maritime Ferry System.
Kayaks
It is a long haul to bring hardshell kayaks to Glacier Bay. Folding kayaks can be transported easily by plane but bringing a hardshell is time consuming. An easy alternative is to rent kayaks from Glacier Bay Sea Kayaks. Good quality fiberglass singles and doubles are available for costs ranging from $45 - $60 per day.
Bears
There are lot's of bears at Glacier Bay, both black bears and brown (grizzly) bears. But usually they don't bother people. They have not learned to associate people with food. We took 2 cans of bear spray, just in case, but every bear we saw ignored us. Read up on surviving in bear country. The orientation you receive in Glacier Bay will reinforce this.
Supplies
Food and staples can be purchased in Gustavus but the supplies are limited and costs are higher. It is preferable to bring your camping food from home. It may cost a little extra for transport on the airplane but you will be much better off. Food canisters are available from the park for no cost. Special food is needed to fit into the canisters, especially if you are doing a long trip. You want to maximize the calories per cubic inch with foods like nuts and dried foods. Water is plentiful in Glacier Bay so carrying liquids in your food canisters is a waste of space. We bought bear spray and propane fuel at Beartrack Mercantile.
Hiking
There are no maintained trails in Glacier Bay National Park except for a couple near the Visitors Center in Bartlett Cove. Our 20-year old guidebook described some off-trail hiking but it has become more difficult since the book was written. Adler, a colonizing plant, is everywhere. A bushy tree with branches that grow both vertically and horizontally, makes it difficult to pass by. It is possible to hike up many of the glacial fans, but most require several miles of rock walking before reaching more interesting terrain. The hike up Gloomy Knob from the South is brush-free and very worthwhile. The other thing that limits hiking is the high tides and the difficulty of leaving a loaded boat during the day. The fiberglass boats can't be dragged up above the tide line without damaging them.
Costs
The only major expenses are for airfare and kayak rental. We brought our food from home. There is no park entrance fee unless you come on a cruise ship. The cruise ship companies are assessed a fee for each passenger who travels through Glacier Bay. It used to be about $7 and we heard it was going to double in 2010.