Day 8
AT SEA: COLLEGE FJORD
After leaving Seward the previous evening we sailed thoughout the night across Prince William Sound to reach College Fjord. We were expected to be there by 6.00am but neither of us really wanted to set the alarm for that time so we left it to chance. As it happened we awoke at 7.00am and looked out of the window to see the following sight.
The ship had come to an halt and was slowly turning. we had arrived at the head of College Fjord and straight ahead of us was Harvard Glacier. It is 1.5 miles across where it enters the tidal waters of College Fjord and is the second largest glacier in Prince William Sound after the Columbia Glacier and is one of the few glaciers in the world that is still advancing.
The fjord contains 5 tidewater glaciers and many smaller ones named after East Coast Colleges. Womens colleges are on the left as you entre the fjord and mens on the right. The fjord was discovered in 1899 during the Harriman Expedition at which time the glaciers were named by some of the professors on the expedition.
Yale Glacier is to the right of Harvard and is one of the longest at 20 miles.
Within about 5 minutes of waking up we had rushed up on deck to witness the scene just before the sun came up, Bryn Mawr, Smith and a slice of Harvard.
Bryn Mawr like many of the glaciers is about 4.5 miles long.
Suprisingly we were just about the only people on the bow taking in the incredible scene. Here June stands with Wellesley Glacier behind.
Wellesley Glacier.
Vassar Glacier 4.3 miles long is in retreat and now barely reaches the water of the fjord.
Slowly the ship began to slip back out of the fjord.
And the sun rose over the mountain rim.
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