But thank goodness for digital cameras and the memories they produce. We can go back in time albeit our memories and relive our journey that way. We might not be able to taste or touch or smell what we encountered, but we certainly can remember and reminisce about it.
We were certainly blessed with beautiful weather when we went to Seward for a daylong glacier tour. This was Mom's surprise birthday present and I believe she was totally surprised. I even packed away the Under Armour thermal underwear for her cause I knew she would freeze to death. It was a gorgeous 55ish degrees, and so beautiful on the water.
The harbor was still with numerous vessels and we took the Glacier Express catamaran for the experience of a lifetime. It was a small vessel that only about 50 people were on and we were served prime rib and fresh salmon as a special meal. Yum, yum!
Portage glacier receding from the shoreline.
Lot's of glacial overhangs.
The water looked like the Caribbean, it was so blue..only 40 degree water, not swimming season for us humans though!
Proud to be an American enjoying this great place with my Mom and watching her have the adventure of a lifetime!
Bear glacier and glacier fields in the mountains.
Trees, trees, and more trees! I miss trees!!! Would you ever think you would miss something so simple? I never did until I have none to look at on the island!
Stellar seals sunning and barking on the rocks. I don't know why they don't just roll right off those rocks.....I know I would..
More glacial overhangs and more beautiful blue skies, calm waters and more TREES!!
Holgate glacier and even calmer waters as we head into the fjords.
And then the Aliak glacier looms out in front. This is where the captain has chosen to take us to view up close and personal today.
And up close we got. This vessel is about 32 feet long and look what a shrimp it looks like compared to the glacier.
The blue hue from the glacier is from the snow and the pressure and the materials pressed to make the glacial ice. Also it is from the way light is absorbed and not reflected. I don't pretend to understand that at all, I just know I am standing in front of one of God's many wonders and was totally amazed.
I wasn't the only one amazed! The white hatted lady is my Mom, mesmerized by the sheer beauty of where she is standing!
Even the glacial ice in the water still held the blue hue. The crew even scooped up some ice and made us blue margarita for the ride home! One was more than enough on a boat, waves and tequila do not compliment each other....
The captain cut the engines and we could hear the cracks and groans of the ice. It sounded like shot guns erupting as huge chunks the size of cars "calved" and crashed into the water sending up sprays stories high into the air.
I can't begin to describe how this looked, sounded and even felt. The temperature was definitely 10 degrees cooler here than back at Seward and you could just feel the cold coming from this massive chunk of ice!
As we pull away, the wake from the boat is the only thing left behind in these icy blue waters.
Wow! What can I say?
More beautiful scenery on the way back.
And the Orca waves us a farewell we certainly won't forget.......
Old bunkers from WWII left high above the water. This is the last look out post used to guard the shores of Alaska from invasion from enemies.
More seals sunning themselves on this beautiful day.
And then to top off our ride home, I spotted this moose on the side of the road and did a U-turn to get in a few shots.
Caught the reflection of the mountains in this lake full of lily pads.
What a view as we headed back to Anchorage and enjoyed the fall foliage. If I hadn't been driving, I would have filled my camera with all the golds and greens from the gorgeous display of of fall colors. I have my memories though and I have that precious but fleeting thing and the determination that I will be back this way again....another time!
