The tiny dome of South Marble Island loomed out of the mist as we assembled on the bow of Sea Bird. We had entered Glacier Bay at 0600h and were cruising north in a body of water that is the result of a most dramatic glacial retreat. To get to this point when he explored the magnificent waterways of the north Pacific in 1794, Captain George Vancouver would have had to drill 4000 feet down into the then unnamed Grand Pacific Glacier. Today the glacier has retreated 60 miles north into the picturesque fjord it created with its relentless, grinding pressure. The ice is gone today and we were well afloat, but under 2000 feet of misty fog.
After glaciation, nothing remains static. The colonies of Tufted Puffins, Horned Puffins, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Common Murres and other birds that nest on isolated South Marble Island are facing elimination - by nature's choice. And to an extent, they are contributing to their own demise. Forest regrowth quickly follows the scouring effects of a glacier. Where bare rock dominated a quarter century ago, spruce trees and dense shrubs now grow. The nitrates and phosphates deposited by the birds are speeding the process of seral succession, to the point where the conditions necessary for successful nesting by each species will gradually disappear. Other birds may find the changing island to their liking, but those that enjoy life here today will have to branch out and find other suitable habitats. The Steller's sea lions hauled out above the tide line may continue to visit for many years. Their sheer bulk will crush any seedling that tries to get a foothold.
The fog lifted by mid morning. Six huge brown bears fed along the intertidal zone, and our silence in front of the spectacular Grand Pacific and Margerie Glaciers allowed us to appreciate the amazing movement of ice. Glorious Glacier Bay!
