Why It Might Be Too Late to Visit Alaska

Someone told me not to visit Alaska until I'm in my 80s. "There will be cruise ships sailing to Alaska, filled with old people like yourself who have been all over the world but never to Alaska. It will be their last destination before seeing heaven."

I've turned 60 in June and have been to Alaska twice. I loved it the first time and I loved it even more the second time. Truly what someone said to me was wrong. In my opinion, don't wait any longer, because at the rate of melting, there might not be any glaciers in Alaska to see.

Did you know there are about 100,000 glaciers in Alaska? You may think that's a lot of glaciers to occur in one US state, but I've read that 95% of them are melting faster than expected and the snow is thinning on these glaciers.

There are eight types of glaciers in Alaska. Tidewater glaciers are valley glaciers that flow all the way to the ocean. With global warming, a lot of these tidewater glaciers are melting under the surface. You may think so what, but glaciers are melting about 100 times faster than what scientists first thought. This may mean by the time I turn 80, which is in 20 years, there will be less glaciers in Alaska to see.

At the end of the Little Ice Age in 1850, there were 150 glaciers in the Glacier National Park near Waterton. Currently there are only 25 glaciers left, and they are closely monitored. Scientists believe that by the year 2030, which is only 11 years away, there will not be any glaciers left.

I know it's not a straight comparison between glaciers near Waterton and glaciers in Alaska, but global warming affects climates all over the world. It doesn't concentrate over one region and skip the rest. It affects all land and water too.

The best way to see glaciers in Alaska is to sail or cruise in to areas where glaciers flow in to valleys or to water. Cruise ships are capable of drifting in a passage and coming up on a glacier at a safe distance. The reason for the distance is because of the calving that takes place. Calving is when a piece of ice falls off and away from the glacier's face. Watching a glacier calve is an exhilarating experience because the ice that breaks away becomes a floating piece of ice. From afar, you can't really imagine the size of the glacier until it calves and the floating piece of ice drifts by a small boat.

Glaciers in Alaska often have face walls the height of a seven story building. When you admire a glacier from a cruise ship, it is hard to imagine the sheer size of the glacier face. The reason is because there is nothing to compare with and no point of reference. When an eagle flies by the glacier face, it is only a speck.

Glaciers in College Fjord, Alaska

When choosing cruise itineraries, try to pick one that visits the College Fjord. The cruise ship will sail through Prince William Sound before reaching the mouth of the College Fjord.

Prince William Sound, mouth of College Fjord

There is a lot to see when you sail through Prince William Sound, especially if you're curious about how the fishing industry works in Alaska. Fishing boats bring in their catch and instead of packing it up and bringing their catch to land, they head to boats that are all lit up. These boats will buy the fishermen's catch and process the fish onboard. This saves time and ups the volume of fish caught before returning to land. When the cruise ship reaches the College Fjord, glaciers surround the ship. There are glaciers on the left and right side of the ship to admire. And the fjord is narrow too, allowing only one ship at a time to sail in to the Harvard and Yale Glacier.

Fishing Boats in Prince William Sound

Another tip I would recommend on choosing an Alaskan cruise would be to take the one way trip from either Vancouver, BC to Whittier or from Whittier to Vancouver, BC. It's a little more expensive because you have to book an open jaw flight, but it's worth it. You will see a lot more than if you chose an Inside Passage itinerary.

If I had to return to Alaska for the third time, I would love to see more glaciers and to bring a pair of binoculars. There is so much wildlife to see, and with binoculars, you can see eagles, otters, seals, orcas, humpback whales and spinner dolphins.

Take my advice and don't wait any longer. I'm scared you or your kids will not see any glaciers when you decide to visit Alaska. If you like my post, please give me a tip and share this with your friends through Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. Thanks for reading my post!